Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Used up a shadow sample, chucked a bunch of other things

The one thing I used up:
SN Superfly shadow sample baggie (cross between lime green and olive drab - yellow shimmer). I actually really liked this - I might get it in the future.

Then, I had two wand-style products I'd had way past the expiration date that I needed to stop using.
- Gabriel Color lip gloss in Nectar. Why, oh why, did they have to package this wand style? I really liked the formula and color, but the natural/organic nature of it meant that after having it for two years it smelled funky. I'd consider buying it again in a future where I'm actually decently compensated for my work, but would probably decant it into squeeze tubes.

- Lumene Sensitive Eyes mascara - blue. I'm feeling kind of paranoid about eye health since I got pinkeye last month, and I've had this well over the recommended six months (I think I still lived in my old apartment when I got it, so at least eight). I wish I could buy it here. The brown used to be one of my two go-to items (the other was a pressed powder foundation) for getting myself out of the house in time to teach at 8 a.m.

Then I gave up on a few things:
-Pink Quartz Minerals shadow in Hot Cocoa. This brown was not special enough. I have other browns I like better. Thus, it's getting swapped away.

-2 Sally Hansen nail pens. I have not found a good way to use these without making a mess. Some polish always semi-dries on the brush (even with the lid tightly capped) and makes a smooth, even application impossible.


ES project pan - 3/8
Lip project pan - 2/5

99 items gone
31 full size items gone

Friday, February 18, 2011

5 things (from Phyrra)

Phyrra did another 5 things post, and I'm in need of another blog post, don't have any easy ideas, and haven't used up or bought enough to write about lately, so I decided to do this.

1. What’s on your tips?
Nothing. A couple nails broke this week, and I'm waiting for them to grow out a tad before painting them Zoya Dierdre.

2. What skincare products are you currently using?
Cleanser: Morning: a Twink Beauty (etsy seller) shampoo bar that was too gentle for my scalp. Night: DivaWash
Daytime Moisturizer: Desert Essence Age-Reversing Mineral Sunblock SPF 30 (mixed with some tinted moisturizer to make it less ghostlike)
Toner: Witch Hazel. Cheap and effective!
Nighttime Moisturizer: Liza Lotion Blotch-Be Gone lotion.
Serum: If I use one, it's Silk Natuals Oatmeal serum.
Makeup Remover: Silk Naturals Apricot Cleansing Oil.
Lipbalm: Pink Quartz Minerals Fisherman's Lip Salve.

3. What are you looking forward to this weekend?
Today I have the day off, but need to write a ton and go to the recycling center. Tomorrow I have a test review session. So, I'm looking forward to Sunday. Hoping to watch a movie and go for a walk.

4. What are you currently reading?
Daughter of York, by Anne Easter Smith. Also a bunch of stuff about 20th century Spanish novels. And my notes, in my terrible handwriting, and the printout of my chapter draft, trying to figure out where to put the stuff in the notes.

5. What are your three colors of choice for this spring?
- Lime green. Because lime green is ALWAYS one of my colors of choice.
- Taupe.
- Purple - bright but not dark, also lavender.

I don't have any links to share, sorry.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

More stuff is gone! Skin, hair, lip stuff

SN Microdermabrasion cream sample - Really pretty decent exfoliator - face definitely felt smoother after using this! However, aspirin masks are cheaper and work just as well for me, so I'm going to stick with that.

Pixi Lip Booster - Zuzana - Red gloss, bought at All Cosmetics Wholesale for three bucks, because there's no way I'm going to spend 16 dollars on a lip gloss. This stuff was pretty sticky, and not neutral enough for everyday.

Alba Botanica Hibiscus Toner - Trying to move away from floral-scented anything. That said, this was pretty good, just not better than witch hazel.

Crazy Rumors Raspberry Sherbet lip balm - Tasty. Man likes the smell. I might get it again.

Kiss My Face trial size exfoliating Sudz bar - Eh. (I only have one more bar of soap to use up!!!)

Suave Professionals Rosemary Mint conditioner - I'm not sure this conditioned my hair so much as coated it in a smooth-feeling film. I think my experiment with coney conditioners is coming to an end - I do better with a bit of a serum on top of a no-silicone conditioner.

ES project pan - 2/8
Lip project pan - 2/5

98 items gone
31 full size items gone

Giveaway

Audrey Dao is going to be giving away some Urban Decay stuff to a lucky winner!

Check it out!

Friday, February 11, 2011

Basic advice on buying good product on the Internet

I wrote this on a forum I'm on after being surprised by the number of people recommending products by known repackagers (or people who just mix mica with a base). The member had also recommended EDM and Aromaleigh. The former I won't buy from, and the latter nobody can anymore. :(

Anyway, I thought it was a helpful summation of everything I know about how to buy good makeup over the Internet.

"I don't shop at Everyday Minerals anymore, and haven't in over a year. This is why.

Aromaleigh is also closed now, she started the process over the summer. I'm still pretty bummed about that.

Other companies I've personally found trustworthy and high-quality:
1. Fyrinnae - hands down your best choice for bright eyeshadow
2. adorned with Grace minerals (excellent foundations for warm toned fair-to-medium ladies, wonderful blushes)
3. Silk Naturals - excellent everything, also has lip stuff and skin care.
4. Hi-Fi cosmetics (etsy) - good stuff!
5. Darling Girl cosmetics (ecrater) - she's new to the game, but her stuff is really, really good.
6. Meow (though you want to wait for their free shipping specials - normally they gouge you on that)
7. Sassy Minerals (I forgot this one in the post, but I have stuff I'd like to get from them.)

Some new ones I've heard positive things about from bloggers I trust but haven't tried yet because I have bills to pay instead: Brazen Cosmetics, Shiro Cosmetics, Scaredy Cat cosmetics, Sobe botanicals

This is an old post by Phyrra, but it's a helpful guide to seeing if the company you want to buy from is a good bet.

You ALWAYS want to google a new-to-you company plus the word "repackage" because otherwise you might end up paying top dollar for unblended mica, which will fall off if you don't have a base and means that the "creator" hasn't been doing anything more "creative" than transferring powder from baggies into jars and "creating" the idea that she made them herself. If you want unblended mica, you can get entire tablespoons direct from the supplier, TKB trading. The TABLESPOON of product in their smallest size only costs $1.50, so you could get 14 colors and just meet the order minimum.

Also, some companies have been remarkably unscrupulous in selling unsafe product, harming people, and somehow getting away with it. This post by Ana of Lipsticks and Lightsabers horrifies me in more ways than one."

Friday, February 4, 2011

Another Used it! (and introducing a few project pans)

I used up five more things - most of them samples, but it's still good!

SN Trouble shadow sample baggie - beige pink shimmer. Not bad for a lid color, but I'm usually more into brown or taupe than brownish pink. Too dark for a highlight.

SN Go shadow sample baggie - slightly bluish green. Marketed as being the color of a green traffic light - I don't think it's that bright, but I do like it. I'm seriously considering getting this in full size.

SN Guava blush sample. I liked this, but I'm not sure I like it better than adorned with Grace Beautiful, which I already have in full size. The awG is less shimmery for sure (by a lot) but the colors are pretty similar. I might get it anyway, though, because the formula is fairly goof proof.

Neutrogena Sensitive Skin SPF 30 sunblock. Full size! Disclosure - I used this up as a shaving lotion, because it expired this January and otherwise I wasn't going to use this up. I like that this was a physical blocker, but don't like how white it made me or its texture.

Giovanni Hydrate body lotion travel size tube- Grapefruit Sky. I liked it alright. The man did not enjoy the scent. I'm not in love with it enough to smell unappealing.


Also, I've made a few new rules:
No new eyeshadow until I use up 8 of the ones I already have.
No new lip stuff until I use up 5 lip products.

Tally:
ES project pan - 2/8
Lip project pan - 0/5

92 items gone
27 full size items gone

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Ice day fantasy shopping

I'm home from work today because my city is iced up. It's kind of crazy! The man and I spent half an hour scraping ice off my car, and that was AFTER letting it run for 15 minutes. Now I'm just hoping that not too much more crap accumulates on it.

I'm kind of on a very low buy right now because I have very little money right now due to most of it going to bills and such. (Boo!)

So anyway, I thought I'd think about how to spend the money I don't have, and what might I buy once my financial picture improves a bit:

1. Physicians Formula airbrushing kabuki brush. I have not seen this anywhere! :( Did I mention that it's blue?

2. Wet n Wild Comfort Zone 8-pan palette. This should be a cheap thrill, but I'm making myself use up 8 eyeshadows first.

3. Shiro Cosmetics Kawaiishadow collection. I don't really have much in the way of pastels. These look beautiful. Also some of the intertubes lip products also look awesome. I can't really pull off blue or purple, but there's a nice looking reddish pink.

4. Some stuff from Scaredy Cat - I'd like some sample vials and a full size Love Stinks. I think if the packaging were normal, I wouldn't want it. But it's adorable, so I do. She's smart.

5. A few lip tints from Epically Epic Soap, and maybe a lotion tin, too (I'd love to smear some nice smelling gunk on my hand eczema for once - a nice balm would stay put and leave the rest of my hands free of gunkiness.)

6. Sobe Botanicals - most interested in the lip products, but a few of the eyeshadows look nice too (Extra Virgin and Blue Moon mostly - blue grays usually look terrible on me, but this one is warm-toned, so it might work. And you know me and my love of green eyeshadow *heart*.)

7. I'm not sure if I even want this, since I found that the Femme Naturale colors all turned kind of muddy on me with wear, but Tarte has a new palette out with mostly neutral colors - it comes with a brown gel pencil liner. Mostly I just love the exterior of the palette - it's so pretty.
I've also been waffling over the Naked palette. But I want the double-ended liner, and not the brush. One or the other will be my graduation present to myself - but that's not until May.

Anyway, anyone tried any of this stuff? Thoughts? Care to share your fantasy shopping lists?