May Favorites & Flunkies

Since Project 10 Pan I have really buckled down on my spontaneous spending and hauling. As such, I don't have a ton of favorites to share. Some are products I rediscovered gems in my preexisting collection, while others are new finds that I researched before purchasing. Unfortunately, a few I got a few flunkies this month, and all are products that I did not research before I threw them in my cart. I am slowly learning my lesson to be a conscious, educated consumer.

First, the favs:

•  Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat- I usually only have time to do my nails in the evening, and before this product I had problems with my polish denting as I slept. Seche Vite may smell awful, but it performs as promised. My lacquer is dry in around 5 minutes and has a glassy, hard finish. My only complaint is that I experience some shrinkage with some polishes where Seche Vite pulls away from the tips of my nails as it drys. This is only with some polishes, and I can live with it.
• Wet n Wild Color Icon Trio in Sweet as Candy- This is a foolproof trio of shadows that is great for when you are in a rush or just want a simple, natural eye look. The colors themselves are not necessarily unique, but that is okay- they make sense together, are soft and pigmented, and a real bargain. Check out the FOTD I created with this trio.
• Physicians Formula Powder Palette Mineral Glow Pearls in Translucent Pearl- I wouldn't have picked this up at full price, but I had a few CVS extra bucks and Physicians Formula was having a sale so in the cart it went. I had read a few rave reviews on these Mineral Glow Pearls, and it did not disappoint. This is a beautiful soft pinky beige highlight that I will be using a lot this summer when I want glowy skin. It is quite shimmery though, so apply with a gentle hand.  
•  E.L.F. Cream Eyeliner in Black- This also made it into last month's favs. I use this everyday, though it is particularly awesome for creating a winged liner look. It is creamy and pigmented, but dries quickly. This never creases onto my lid and literally lasts all day. I don't know how this compares to other brands (like the Loreal Hip one, MAC fluidline, or the Wet n Wild gel liner), but I am really happy with this. 
• fresh Citron de Vignre Eau de Parfum- I have mentioned elsewhere that I have difficulty finding fragrances that I like because I am generally turned off by feminine floral scents and unfortunately most women's perfumes fall into that category. I found this perfume at Sephora and it is absolutely divine! It smells like sangria- citrusy and spicy with notes of red wine. It is a very unique scent and I have been wearing it all month.
• NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk- I don't really have anything new to say about this cult favorite that hasn't already been said. It is a creamy white that has worked as an awesome base for most all of my May eye looks.
• Stila Bronzing Tinted Moisturizer- I picked this up in a mini haul recently from Nordstrom Rack and have been really enjoying it. I wear it alone, or mix it with my regular tinted moisturizer or with a dab of my foundation if I want more coverage. This doesn't make my oily skin freak out, and it gives me a nice subtle bronzed glow. I wore it in a couple FOTDs this moth, like this one here.
• Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Sunblock Lotion SPF 60+- Sunblock should be a staple in your skincare routine year round, but I am guilty of forgetting it most mornings. However, as the sun starts to come out more this Spring I have been making an earnest effort to remember it. I opted for a baby sunblock because they tend to have more naturally derived and gentle ingredients and to have higher SPFs. I mix a pea sized amount of this creamy sunblock into my moisturizer in the morning and have been really surprised by how non-greasy this leaves my face. Usually sunblock leaves me feeling like an oil slick, but this soaks in nicely and I can apply my makeup soon after. And the classic sunblock smell, which I am not fond of, is mild.

 Now, for the flunkies:

•  Sinful Colors Nail Art- I picked these up in a Walgreens haul at the beginning of the month. I was totally lulled in by the cheap price tag and stellar colors. However, I should have known better; since these are neon shades, they apply very sheer and thus don't make for very good nail art designs. Bummer. 
• Maybelline Define-a-Brow Pencil in Light Blonde- I have been on the hunt for a good brow pencil, and this one actually matches the color of my brows nicely. However, everything else about this is pretty crappy in my opinion. I though that I would like that it was an automatic pencil, but it is not self-sharpening so the tip is flat making for imprecise application. Also, if you twist it too much, the product crumbles very easily when applying it. 

So there are my favorites and flunkies of May. What are you loving and regretting?

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Posted in E.L.F. , Favorites and Flunkies , fresh , Maybelline , Neutrogena , NYX , Physicians Formula , Seche Vite , Sinful Colors , Stila , Wet n Wild

Mini Stila Haul and Bargain Alert!

Hello lovelies! Last week I popped over to my local Nordstrom Rack to see if they had a sideways cross necklace and cute sundresses, but no such luck. However, to my surprise they did have a small but totally exciting cosmetics section. I had never even thought to look there for discounted high end make up.  I browsed through some Smashbox, DuWop, and Palladio goodies, and resisted the urge to throw the OPI polishes I don't have from the Katy Perry collection into my cart.  In the end, I opted for just two Stila products that were pretty deeply discounted. Their Stila stand was actually pretty impressive, with an array of kajal eyeliners, tinted moisturizers, eyeshadows, and so forth. My Nordstrom Rack also had some high end hair care and styling products, as well as some fragrances. Although the shade selection was limited and their stock store to store varies, I definitely think it is worth checking out if there is a Nordstrom Rack near you!

I snagged Stila's Bronzing Tinted Moisturizer and Eye Shadow in Ray.

I bought the eye shadow, which typically retails for $18, for a little under $7. The bronzing tinted moisturizer is being sold on the Stila site for $32 and I bought it for less that $10. This bargain diva is very happy!

Stila's Bronzing Tinted Moisturizer comes in only one shade, but luckily for me it suits my light-medium skin tone. I have worn this alone and also mixed it with a dab of foundation for a subtle glow. This had a hint of shimmer in it, but it doesn't make me look like a disco ball. So far I am happy with the dewy tanned look it gives me. I wore it in a recent FOTD- check it out here.

Swatch of Bronzing Tinted Moisturizer

Bronzing Tinted Moisturizer blended in.

Bronzing Tinted Moisturizer blended in.

Stila's Eye Shadow in Ray is a shimmery burnt orange bronze shade. I have only used it one, but like Jade (which I received in my May Birchbox), it is buttery smooth, pigmented, and easy to blend. It might just become my summer go-to crease color for a warm bronzed look.

Where do you go to find bargain deals on makeup products? Any unexpected finds?

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Posted in Haul , Stila

May Birchbox Review

Two weeks ago I received my May Birchbox and have tested the products enough to offer a full review. Overall, this Birchbox was a bit of a flop for me, especially in comparison to the April Birchbox which I was obsessed with.

 The 4 deluxe samples I received are:

1. Bulgari Mon Jasmin Noir- Birchbox describes this perfume as possessing "waves of ripe fruit and a base of heady jasmine." When I opened my Birchbox I suspected that I would not be fond of this scent, and I assumed correctly. Admittedly I generally dislike ultra feminine floral scents, but this one straight up had that dreaded "old lady" smell. No thanks!
2. Erno Laszlo Transphuse Night Serum- The full sized bottle of this stuff retails for $120 and is intended to firm skin and fight-wrinkles. Although I don't have wrinkles, I am all about preventative skincare so I gave this a try anyways. I got maybe 3 or 4 uses out of it, which is too few to really notice much of a change in the quality of your skin. Actually, I am glad that I didn't fall in love with this because there is no way I would shell out almost 200 bucks on something like this.
3. Archipelago Pomegranate Soap- I read some reviews of this month's Birchbox and several people hated how this soap smelled. I actually kind of like it, but the product itself doesn't work for me. Like most bar soaps, I felt like this one stripped my skin dry.
4. Stila Eyeshadow in Jade- This is definitely the redeeming product of this month's box. This amazingly is a full sized shadow, which retails for $18 so although I didn't like the other products this month's box was still a good deal. Jade, a shimmery gem-toned medium green, is not a color I would typically gravitate towards, but I ended up adoring the look I created with it.

I also received a few little extras in the box:

• 2 samples each of Oribe Beautiful Color Shampoo and Conditioner- I gave these a whirl, and actually needed to open both packets to get enough products to wash and condition my long hair. I really did not like this shampoo and conditioner- I felt that it left my hair very dry.
• A card by Tiny Prints- This card is cute and it is nice to have a blank one around for one of those situations where you forget to  pick up a card.

I am hoping that June's Birchbox is better than this one. How did you like your May Birchbox?

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Posted in Archipelago , Birchbox , Buffy the Vampire Slayer , Erno Laszlo , Oribe , Stila

May Birchbox

I was so excited to see that my May Birchbox arrived in the mail today! I didn't expect to receive it so early in the month. I gleefully opened my goodies, which supposedly fit into Birchbox's 'Mother's Day'/tried and true theme, but I unfortunately can't say I was as thrilled as I was last month. Here are my first impressions.

Size isn't always everything, but I noticed right away that the treats in this month's box were significantly smaller than April's.

 The 4 deluxe samples I received are:

1. Bulgari Mon Jasmin Noir- Birchbox describes this perfume as possessing "waves of ripe fruit and a base of heady jasmine." Generally,  I steer clear of fruity and flowery scents and opt for warmer, spicy one. My assumption is that this one won't suit me, but I will give it a shot.
2. Erno Laszlo Transphuse Night Serum- This puppy is itty-bitty. This nightly serum is claimed to firm the skin and fight-wrinkles, of which I has many as a sage 23 year old...This must be liquid gold, as it retails for a whopping $190 for 1 ounce! If you do the math, then the tiny .01 ounce sample is worth $19. That is insanity. 
3. Archipelago Pomegranate Soap- When I opened my box, I was immediately struck by the lovely scent of this soap. I typically prefer shower gels over bar soaps, but I adore pomegranate so I am excited to see if this changes my mind. Birchbox says it also contains white tea, which is where I believe the delicious scent derives from.
4. Stila Eyeshadow in Jade- This is the redeeming product of this month's box. Although green is not a color I often go for on my lids and this looks similar to the few greens I own already, I have never owned a Stila shadow and am eager to try this one out. Jade is a soft green with olive undertones and a shimmery finish. This amazingly is a full sized shadow, which retails for $18 so I suppose I did get a good value out of this month's box if only for this product.

Also included are a few extras:

• 2 samples each of Oribe Beautiful Color Shampoo and Conditioner- I am not really looking for a new hair care line, but these little packets are always handy for travel.
• A card by Tiny Prints- This is a cute little add in and I am sure I will find a use for it. Of course I would have loved to see the stationary replaced by another beauty related sample.

Did you get your Birchbox yet? What are your first impressions? For those who got a Stila shadow, did you get a different shade? Let me know!

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Posted in Archipelago , Birchbox , Bulgari , Erno Laszlo , Oribe , Stila