We've seen the lip balm and the lipstick collection already so now it's time to showcase the lip glosses.
Count: 20.
It may be hard to believe but the lip gloss stash used to be half this size up until a few months ago! Since I rarely wear lip gloss I feel it is necessary to put a plug on the lip gloss hoarding. Welcome Larie and her group no buy/limited buy plan. Without thinking twice about it, I have volunteered to join in this torturous project.
So starting today up until April 30th, I will not purchase the following items:
mascara, eyeliner, lip gloss, or lip balm (tinted lip balms do not count!). If the aforementioned items pop up in gift sets or pre-packaged sets, those will not count. Otherwise, the ban is pretty straight forward. I figure the shorter and simpler it is, the less room there is for loopholes and more room for victory!
Buuuuut..... if you count a month long break as a loophole then that's the big one. My birthday month (and Liz' - remember that folks!) is March so a break is oh so necessary. The ban will resume as soon as the month is over of course but still, a loophole is a loophole no matter how you justify it.
Although I have fears of failing, I will be strong for my ban buddies; Larie, Liz, and Makeup Morsels. Let's not forget about Tracy, the blush fiend going on a six month long blush ban!
There are more like us and why we torture ourselves like this, I don't know. I just hope we all make it out of our bans sane and maybe even a little bit richer. Wish us luck!
Inspired by Liz's "Summer Products" I Never Used post, I decided to write one alike!
How many of you buy "Summer Products" and end up ditching it because it's less than average? I am guilty of doing this every summer.
My least favorite purchases of this summer: the mineral sunscreens.
This summer I attempted to find the perfect mineral sunscreen. I gave the Lavera Baby & Kinder Sun Spray SPF 30 Neutral and Badger SPF 30+ Lightly Scented Sunscreen (not pictured) a try and now I don't want to try anymore! A horrible ash-white cast and greasy finish is unavoidable with these sunscreens. What is worse is that they are both so thick, it's nearly impossible to massage in. Due to the thickness of the Lavera sunscreen, the spray pump has become clogged and deemed unusable. Both sunscreens would be great for impromptu tanning sessions in the back yard but otherwise, I wouldn't recommend them for daily use. They are fairly expensive but the ingredients more than make up for it.
The last sunscreen of the summer was quite nice. However, please do not laugh at it.. or me!
The truth is, I used to be a huge Spongebob fanatic. I had Spongebob bed sheets, t-shirts, socks, pajama bottoms. Yeah, I was cool like that. Late in August I saw this Spongebob sunscreen at Rexall. It was an auto-purchase because I needed a sunscreen I could actually use on a daily basis. Okay and I also wanted to feel like a kid again. It really isn't a bad sunscreen but if you dislike bubblegum scents, skip it. The spray actually works and never clogs. The sunscreen itself is thin and runny which makes absorption quick and painless! But because I bought it late in August, I didn't get to use it much.
Before summer started, I splurged only a little on the Benefit Cha Cha Tint.
This will be my last tint by Benefit. It's still unclear whether or not the brand tests on animals but until there's a PSA, I won't be buying from them any more. The tint itself is unflattering on my cheeks and lips. The Benefit tints never look natural on me anyway so I don't know why I tried this one too.
Another early summer splurge or more like a binge...
I love the Revlon scented nail polishes but the brighter shades (Mad About Mango, Passion Fruit, Pretty in Papaya, Raspberry Rapture, and Sublime Strawberry) aren't flattering against my skin tone and petite feet/fingers.
I also have this 5 piece mini nail polish set by Wet n Wild which hasn't gone to complete waste. I like rocking hot red nails anytime but the burgundy shade is perfect for fall. I might put these nail polishes to good use and start creating my own Franken polishes though!
Last of all, a self tanner.
Summer is not complete without a self tanner right?
After last year's orange fiasco thanks to the Jergens Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer I swore I was going to quit self tanners altogether. Yet somehow I ended up getting a tube of the Jergens Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer. You would think I would have learnt my lesson the first time but I guess I needed a second orange slap on the face to wake me up.
Money wasted aside, now I know what works for me and what doesn't!
So what were your summer fails?
Last night's trip to London Drugs and Zellers was uber successful.
Before making my way back to the car, I passed by Zellers and bought the LAST Wet n Wild Pixie Holiday palette in Golden Goddess. I've been to this particular Zellers atleast 3 times since November and never found a trace of the WnW Pixie Holiday collection. I suspect someone had bought it at another Zellers and returned it at the one I went visited. I am so flipping happy but now I really want the other two (Sugar Plum and Night Elf) to complete the collection!
Editted pm February 6th:
A closer look at the EcoTools brushes. You can tell the retractable foundation brush is a round head and not flat because the ferrule is round. Ta-da!
Editted on February 5th:
I forgot about Maybelline Fit spottings... I've spotted displays at Shoppers Drug Mart, Wal-Mart and London Drugs. It's official, Maybelline Fit is AVAILABLE in Canada!
Other important news, I spotted a few great things at London Drugs.
Here we have the NEW EcoTools brushes:
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Pink arrows indicate the new ones.
The brush for $9.99 is the new Retractable Foundation brush. Sorry, I couldn't take a direct photo of it but it's not a traditional "paint" brush (flat) but instead, this one round and tapered. I've checked the MAC, Sephora, and Sigma website but I can't find a brush like the EcoTools one. I need to get it!
The brush for $14.99 is the Finishing Kabuki Brush. Everyone needs to buy this one! It features the same stippling brush head as the Finishing Brush in the Alicia Silverstone brush kits but has a short handle - hence why it is called the kabuki brush now.
I've also checked the Paris Presents website and the new brushes aren't even listed online!
Do look out for these brushes! I guarantee they are nothing like you've ever seen before in drugstores!
Lise Watier make-up brushes are also on sale at London Drugs. Each one is repriced for sale. Still quite expensive in drugstore standards but perhaps worth the look? I've never tried Lise Watier brushes so I can't claim for sure.
Second best spotting:
Peach Petal, Coral Reef, Firecracker, and Pink Pop are now featured in the PERMANENT display of Revlon Super Lustrous Lipglosses. FINALLY<3
I can't wait until Superstore and Wal-Mart update their display... They always have Revlon lip products on sale for $4.99 ;)
Rexall also has the updated Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss display. From Feb 4 to the 11th, Rexall has lip care/stick/gloss for 30% off so if you want to get the new PERMANENT Super Lustrous lip shades, now is better deal than none. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipglosses go for $8.99 regularly at Rexall so it comes out to be $6.xx before taxes during this sale.
Edit: Rexall has a $5 off $25 purchases coupon available until March 31, 2011 aswell!
I'm aware I didn't spot too much but I'm so satisfied. I now know I can buy the Revlon lipglosses anytime in shades that excite me and EcoTools brushes that are extraordinary!
Keep an eye out at drugstores/grocery stores if you're interested in the things you saw in this post. I can't wait to see what other treasures I'll find :)
♥,
Ashley.
I introduced the, "Hoarders" cosmetic series awhile back. Since then, I've been procrastinating. I didn't know where or when to start but I ultimately chose nail polish to start off this crazy series. (I'm regretting that now...) I should have started off with lip products as that collection is... smaller in physical size (not quantity).
I reorganized my nail polish last night & took advantage of the little sun Vancouver had today to take some photos. Here is the collection in it's cozy shoe box:
Albeit, it isn't the prettiest or neatest way of doing things - it's fine for now. I'm just glad I'm not a nail polish junkie that requires the iconic IKEA Helmer.
{My dad would freak out.. he'd have an absolute fit and I'd never live to hear the end of it. I have no space in my room anyhow ;__;}
I've separated the polishes by brand, split in rows and sorted by color (sort of). A lot of it is still mixed up as not enough brands could fill one row.
My collection ranges from Revlon, Color Club, Wet n Wild, NYC, Sally Hansen, Orly, China Glaze, Sinful Colors, Essie, L'Oreal, Nicole by OPI, Rimmel, Sula, Joe Fresh, Maybelline, Winmax (Daiso brand), Claire's, Seche, and random Asian nail polishes that were gifted.
*Numbers in brackets indicate number of polishes by each brand*
Revlon (14) dominates the collection, NYC (12) coming in second, Sally Hansen in third (10), and Color Club (7) coming in fourth. All of the other brands - I have atleast 1 to 5 of.
I'm actually too afraid to count the total of polishes I have but I should be disposing half of this collection as it is waaaay too old to be using. Nail polish thinner can't even salvage some of the polishes.
I have more nail polishes than my mom has ever had. I'm 19 and she's almost 50. You would think my mom took advantage of all that time but she only cares for pinks and purples. Whereas I, am a fan of all colors (besides vomit green and banana yellow).
I started experimenting with crème and pastel shades last year and I'm oh-so-inlove with mint greens, lavender purples and pink pastelles. A majority of the Revlon polishes are crèmes and pastelles... Confession: I own three mint green crèmes and three lavender crèmes... It's shameful but it was the trend of Spring 2010! I'm positive this was when I started collecting (madly) again. Before then, I hadn't touched most of my polishes.
Honestly though, I rock red nails 90% of the time. I'm convinced cherry reds make my hands appear smaller than they already are. But man, that pop of color... I need it to brighten my day! And hey, even the boyfriend likes the red nails ;)
I should have made a list of colors by each brand but my collection is quite meager and I'm sure full reviews could be found via Google. I also accept questions & requests through comments so don't fret if I missed something!
If it helps, I have some individual shots of certain brands :)
You can see most of the polishes have separated (a little to a lot). This is what happens when you don't rotate your nail polishes enough... And shaking them is a bad idea too but how else do you reverse the separation???
Anyhow, not alot of peeps love Revlon but I can't get enough of their scented nail polishes! I'm surprised the scented ones are better formulated than the regular line. The Top Speed line is by far the best though. They're quick drying, opaque & easy to use!
However, I'm not a fan of Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear line. Too bad I have quite a few.. They're atleast two years old & I no longer like the colors I chose but I think a nail polish thinner can fix their current state. I'll try to use them if I ever get into nail art or... Konad! (*___*)
The last four polishes are from Japan. I bought those over 4 years ago! I hardly touched them - too sheer but I can't seem to let them go...
My top recommendations are: Revlon (for scented polishes, quick drying polishes, and opaque polishes), China Glaze (for quality and price) and Color Club (for price and ease of use). I also like NYC and Wet n Wild polishes but NYC has very little colors I like and Wet n Wild handles feel small and awkward. Oh, I almost forgot Sinful Colors & Orly - I only own two of each so far but they are very good! I'd like to try more but it's obvious I don't need more... UNLESS it's a duochrome or holographic polish!
I feel this post was a tad long... but luckily, I have nothing else to add!
Hope you enjoyed,
Today's update consists of the beauty products I have collected since November. I'll include mini reviews but if you would like full reviews, ask in the comments. As I did with my second update, I'll start with latest purchases to oldest purchases.
Side note: : I blame weekly sales, coupons, & deals for my obsession with makeup. It's like a force that drives me towards spending money on makeup! And I just can't resist...
After checking my work schedule, I went to H&M to use my $5 off coupon. It expires tomorrow (my excuse for buying something.. again!).
Since H&M debutted their line of beauty products, I haven't taken the initiative to try any. I decided today was the day & paid $2.18 for this pretty palette (My Summer Romance Palette). My swatches look pretty good but those shadows are blended out. I experienced crumbling and fall out whilst swatching. The ocean/baby blue shadow also applied patchy so I had to layer it for evenness. Other than that, this H&M eyeshadow palette is quite pigmented. Would I pay the regular $6.95? No, but if I had another $5 off coupon.. YES!
Quick run at London Drugs on Monday:
Picked up two Alicia Silverstore EcoTools brush sets for $9.99 each (on sale - regularly $19.99). I paid $14.99 for this exact same brush set at Winners awhile back too, boo! Keeping another one for myself and giving one away for Christmas! The Finishing Brush, Blush Brush, and Angled Eye Shadow Brush are amazingly soft and easy to use. Actually, I love the Angled E/S brush the most!
Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Lilac Pastelle - $9.99. Most I've ever paid for a drugstore lip gloss but the reviews from Spring/Summer 2010 drove me into a frenzy. I'll pick up Pink Pop when it's on sale and maybe even Coral Reef. I like the texture - milky but not sticky. No taste but I detect is a light vanilla candied scent.
Sally Hansen Nail Nutrition Green Tea + Soy Cutitcle Oil for $4.49. I love cuticle oils but they can be really expensive. This tube is much better than a click pen as you can control how much goes on the applicator and you can see how much you've used up. I need to test it longer to see if it really works. Will review later!
Revlon Spa ILLUMINATE Skin Renewal System - $10.39. Sorry, I already wrecked my box so you'll have to settle for a stock image! The exfoliating brush is surprisingly softer than the facial brush from The Body Shop.
And as mentioned in my previous update about my Sunday adventures w/ the 'rents, here is what I picked up last Sunday. The Body Shop is always offering a great deal. From December 10th - 12th, they had a promotion called, "Spin the Wheel of Joy." It was a wheel you spun that would give you random savings. I spun & got $20 off a $40 purchase whereas my mom received a 3 for $30 deal. I ended up getting 50% off my whole purchase since I spent over $40... woops!
The Body Shop Brow Definer in 01 Blonde/Auburn. A little too light for me but I tend to use a heavy hand when defining my brows. I'm still practicing!
The Body Shop Originals Shower Gel in Green Apple and Fuzzy Peach. I've reviewed Fuzzy Peach a little bit in this post. Green Apple smells like freshly cut apples! I'm thinking of gifting them but... they smell so good! :(
The Body Shop Nature's Minerals Foundation Brush. I need to use up all of my Everyday Minerals samples before they expire. This brush shall help that cause. It's soft on the face but hard enough to buff the powder into the face without scratching and shedding. It is not flimsy or fluffy like the Tokidoki Kabuki Brush.
The Body Shop Luxury Flannel Washcloth - feels rubbery like a foam rubber sheet... It's awkward but I haven't tested it fully. However, I do not recommend using it as a facial cleanser cloth as it absorbs all of the foam from your cleanser!
A lip/eye kohl sharpener for me madre. She also got a Nature's Minerals Foundation to accompany her new Nature's Minerals Foundation Brush. I'm going to practice my application skillz on her later... dun dun dun!
The Body Shop Cheek Color in 05 Tea Rose. I don't need more blush either but I can't be stopped so don't bother. Surprisingly, this blush isn't shimmery like most TBS blushes. I see faint sparkles in the pan but do not transfer on the skin. The blush is fairly pigmented and easy to use. Even with my heavy hands, I don't look too dolled up or clownish.
The Body Shop Round Handle Facial Brush. I don't have the money for a Clarisonic so I'll settle for a $1.50 exfoliating brush. It feels soft on the sides but on the face.. it's a tad hard. The tip of the bristles aren't prickly, they're just not soft... I rather spend the extra $7 for the Revlon kit pictured above but really.. If I had $200? I'd invest in the Clarisonic!
Before my parent's came home, I went to Rexall, London Drugs & Zellers to score some major deals.
From the Annabelle Insomnia Winter 2010 Collection, the Annabelle Multi-Dome Baked Eyeshadow Palettes in: Insomnia (pale yellow-gold, green, lavender, violet) and Disturbia (red, blue, red-orange, brown). I've wanted these palettes since their release but the $13.99 price tag hurt. Rexall had 25% off ALL Annabelle cosmetics so these babies were on sale for $10.49 each but $8.49 using $2 off coupons I've been saving! Total: $19.50 for 8, beautifully pigmented baked eyeshadows. SCORE!
JANE Cosmetics are 50% off at Zellers. I heard the brand was being phased out of Walgreens & another rumor about the brand going bankrupt... Not sure what's going on but the selection of JANE Cosmetics at Zellers is quite... old and most items have collected dust! Since the Aguaceutical lines is relatively new, I decided to try some of the eyeshadows and tinted moisturizer. I paid $4~ for each.
JANE Aguaceuticals Sheer Tinted Moisturizer in Light/Warm Tones. A tad orange on me, egh..
READ: JANE Aguaceuticals LipStix in Laguna looks like Nars Orgasm/Super Orgasm Blush in lipstick form. Kind of pornstar-ish to me but it's glamorous in that way.. Never was a fan of Nars Orgasm but apparently makeup fanatics are gaga for gold shimmer and peachy pink cheeks!
JANE Be Pure Mineral Eyeliner in Wine. Reviews say these gel eyeliners are creamy and rich in pigment. Definitely rich in pigment and creamy when applied to the skin. I didn't feel or experience tugging when applying this gel eyeliner but it was hard to get onto my brush because it's hard top layer.
JANE Aguaceuticals Aguashimmer Eyeshadow (quad) in: 02 Sandstorm, 03 Reef, and 04 Bamboo. They aren't rich in pigment but still work and are great for more natural and neutral eye looks. They work best when wet.
During Rexall's 50% Face Products sale, I grabbed the Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush for nearly $6 each thanks to a $3 off coupon.
From L-to-R, Top-to-Bottom: Rich Cinnamon and Lushberry. Flash, No Flash.
My swatches are much more accurate than the product photo. It is much softer & less bright than my camera perceives it as. I thank Gianna of NouveauCheap for helping me with my purchase. Gianna can be an enabler sometimes but if she recommends you something, you get it or you'll regret it.
More from Rexall and Superstore:
N.Y.C. Blushable Creme Stick in Plaza Pink to complete my collection of Blushable Creme Sticks. I have every color now! I highly recommend these. They apply as cream but blend like powder.
Ultra Last Lipwear in 416B Berry Rich and 407B Smooch. Karen of MakeupandBeautyBlog's review made me run to Rexall immediately to pick up Berry Rich. Lucky me, N.Y.C. lip products were BOGO Free. Too bad my freebie, Smooch, ended up being a frosty pornstar shade. What ever you do, SKIP Smooch!
Ignore the Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Serum Primer as I returned it. I do not recommend it. It's an overpriced moisturizer with a silicone-slick feel to it.
Last but not least, Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Gel CreamLiner for Hazel Eyes and Blue Eyes. (Geeze what a mouthful...) I found these babies on clearance/sale at Superstore for roughly $7. I grabbed the last two! I haven't seen them them on display since I purchased them and that was almost a month ago... As for the quality of these gel liners; they are SUPERB. I find them creamy and pigmented - better than the Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliners. The brush included is soft but as sturdy as the Maybelline one. The gel's would make great bases for a smokey eye look.
Just so we're clear, I've held off on a lot of other beauty products so I haven't been all that bad! I'd share examples but I feel embarassed enough as it is. I buy loads of beauty products yet... I always want more! I'm so greedy -_____-"
I should mention, I also got a few Sephora goodies from the S.O. but I'll include that in my Christmas gifts post. It isn't even a Christmas present but I don't want to get into it, heh.
Question of the Post:
What was your most recent beauty purchase?Obviously you've seen mine.. now tell me about yours!
I'll be back again, very shortly.. Tata for now!
Ashley.
I promised a few posts ago I'd post more pictures on my blog, not just stock photos. Anyhow, I didn't want to title this post as "haul" because I don't like that word... (I don't like a lot of words). I'm not purposely flashing my purchases, I just want to share with everyone my great finds. Believe me, these purchases were bargains I couldn't resist.
I don't remember how many times I've mentioned this but I'm from & currently residing in Vancouver, B.C. Most beauty addicts here in Canada (or even B.C.) don't realize that NYX Cosmetics IS available here & not just online. NYX Cosmetics can be found at Rexall Drugstores and Save-On Foods grocery stores(some, not all). I only recently learnt that Save-On's has NYX Clearance baskets with items all for a $1. So here's what I found about a week ago at Save-On's:
I bought 7 Chrome Eye Shadows (pigments) & 4 Triple Shadows For Sexy Babe's Eyes Only! (trio palettes) for myself, all for a $1 each. I bought a few for my friend's birthday too but those aren't pictured in case she reads this post & thus ruining her surprise!
F.Y.I - NYX is a drugstore cosmetic line that is said to be comparable to MAC & other medium-to-high end cosmetics. For $1, the NYX eye shadows I bought were well worth it and I would pay full price for them if I had to! Both the pigments and pressed e/s are plenty pigmented but foiling them makes them even more amazing (with regular water!).
Then at Wal-Mart on the same day I bought the Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover Lotion - Hydrating, I also bought the Wet n Wild Mega Last Lip Color in Just Peachy (903C). I'm not the type to wear lipsticks or lip liner but the color looked nice & it was no more than $4(??).
I wish it was as pretty on my lips as it is in the tube. The formula also doesn't work with my lips. I'll write a review on it later but this was a no-go for me :(
My Wal-Mart trip wasn't a complete bust however! I also picked up Revlon's new Top Speed nail polishes in Jaded (320) and I absolutely love it! I prefer this to Revlon's Minted nail polish & China Glaze's Re-fresh Mint. I was supposed to do a comparison review but I keep screwing up my nails before I can take pictures!
And after ages of waiting for Bioré to go on sale (anywhere!), London Drugs was having a sale on Bioré products and a BOGO Free deal!
I initially wanted to use $2 off coupons I had saved but London Drugs coupon policy does not allow stacking. (The BOGO deal was through London Drugs in-store coupon *sigh*) Another catch was that the "free" item had to be the
Bioré PURIFY Steam Activated Cleanser. Conviently, a week before the sale I knew there were certain Bioré cleansers that came with a free razor or John Freida Frizz-Ease Hair Serum. In the end, I bought two different cleansers so I got two Bioré PURIFY Steam Activated Cleansers free, plus two John Frieda Frizz-Ease Hair Serums! My total was $23.27 for 6 products & divided evenly, I paid $3.87 for each product. I know I have a lot of cleansers left to finish but I also use my facial cleansers to wash my brushes and face cloths! I'll run out in no time....
Ontop of the abundance of cleansers I got, I also bought more nail polishes. Revlon recently released previously limited edition nail polishes onto their permanent display. I bought Minted & Gray Suede for $2.99 each as it was on sale but I haven't tried them out fully yet.
I can't explain why but London Drug was having a massive clearance on beauty products & I found quite a lot of great beauty products on sale but still a little too expensive for my taste. The whole L'Oreal Passport to Paradise Collection was on clearance; nail polishes for $2.99 and eyeshadow quads for $5.99. I bought a nail polish in Ocean Breeze (606) from the Passport to Paradise but I also don't like this one. The first coat leaves little streaking but during the second coat, the formula gets goopy making it hard to apply. Atleast the second coat leaves a very opaque blue nail! I never quite liked L'Oreal nail polishes, they separate in the bottle too quickly and are waaay to thick. Lastly I bought Seche Porcelain.. I don't know why but I can't return it so I might swap that too. I couldn't take clear pictures of the nail polishes or find stock photos so... I'm sorry!
I think I've gone on for long enough anyway so I hope this was an interesting read for someone! Happy Weekend, hope no one has a dentist appointment tomorrow like I do! :(
Disclosure
Make-Up Kismet is a personal blog written and edited by myself. This blog was created to share my experiences with whom ever reads it.
All reviews posted are written by me and are my honest opinions. All products reviewed are purchased by me for personal and/or review purposes unless stated otherwise. Each person is different, as are our experiences. With that said, I cannot be held responsible for any unsatisfying reaction to a product I review or recommend.
Photos on this blog are either from Google, other Bloggers or, my own. I try to depict all products as accurately as possible. I may edit photos for this purpose.
