Sunday, April 10, 2016

NEW // FEBRUARY & MARCH


February and March were a little indulgent, to say the least!  I went to visit my parents in New Jersey and during my trip in to NYC, I went to MAC and.... well, the rest is history.

On the positive side, however, I did finally find a foundation that works for me!  MAC's Mineralize Moisture Foundation doesn't cling to my dry patches and is actually my color.  It is subtly radiant and I can apply it with my fingers (the tools of choice for most makeup application, tbh).  It's going to last forever, though I probably will stop buying most MAC products (other than my HG Ruby Woo lipstick) because they do test on animals.  There are so many other brands out there that are cruelty-free to choose from, why not just use those! 

My journey to MAC was originally just to pick up another tube of Ruby Woo (which was the first lipstick I've ever finished!), and it devolved in to getting my makeup done by an artist, since I had to wait for the bus.  I also picked up the lipstick in So Select, which is a great dusky rosey greige color.  Very on trend!

I also got another Charlotte Tillbury lipstick in Amazing Grace, which is beautiful!  I love CT's matte lipsticks so much, I wish I could own all of them.  The gold tubes are so luxurious and the formula and colors are SPOT ON.  I actually bought this same color for both my mom and best friend for their birthdays at the same time.  We match!


I also finally took the plunge and bought another bottle of perfume!  I got a sample of Chanel No.5 Eau Premiere from my friend, and I didn't realize how much I loved it until spring!  It has been my perfume of choice these past months since I've bought it.  I tried to love the original Chanel No.5, but it's a bit too heavy for me.  This one is perfect!

I also got a perfume sampler from A Beautiful Life, which is a brand I've known about for a while but kind of forgot about.  Most of the scents aren't really to my liking, but I really find my tastes change depending on seasons and also where I am in my life!  The other samples are are Geurlain.  I got Shalimar pure parfum, l'Heure Bleue EDT, and Apres l'Ondee EDP.  I love Shalimar, and I hope to one day buy a tiny bottle, but maybe next year?  Maybe later this year?  Haha.

I also purchased three items in a blog sale, two of which I forgot to photograph, of course.  I got Burberry lip cover in Oxblood, Charlotte Tillbury Eyes To Mesmerize in Jean, and Burberry Lip Definer in Bright Plum.


I also finally ran out of concealer, so I sprung for NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer.  It's pretty great!  It's super light, so it really does a great job at masking anything that needs a bit more coverage.  I also got a tub of Layrite Pomade for defining any vintage sets, curls, or rolls I do,  It's water based, so it doesn't leave your hair with a greasy film, and it's a nice alternative to heavy hairspray, which I find makes my style last less due to not washing my hair all the time.

I also got a sample of Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid, and it seemed like it was working, but my skin was SO dry.  The woman at MAC said that BHAs actually dry your skin out a lot, so I stopped using it for a while and my skin didn't seem any worse for wear without it.  Skincare is hard.

I also purchased three Kiehl's products, one of which isn't pictured.  I really dropped the ball this time, huh??  I got their Creme d'Elegance, which I had tried a sample of.  It's so rich and amazing, and it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin.  I also got a bottle of their Midnight Recovery Concentrate, which I can't tell as of now if it's breaking me out or not.  I've given it a rest right now, but I probably won't return it because I really want it to work.  :(  I also got their mineral sunscreen because I needed a new one.  It leaves a white cast, which most zinc based sunscreens do, but a little foundation or skin tint over top evens that right out.  


I also got a LOT of GWPs this month.  I don't really have much to say about any of them other than that I have a growing bag of samples and I never use them??  GWPs are scams, I tell you!!  Though I did use Bumble & Bumble's Pret-A-Powder and it was really great.  May have to buy a full size bottle of that, haha.  Whelp!

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

DRAWING // RECENTLY

My favorite "Ricks", if you will.  Liddol baby cop Rick, farmer Rick, and feral Rick.

Man I just am loving The Walking Dead the past couple of episodes.  They must have done something with the writing team or whatever, but the past four/five episodes have been phenomenal.

My fave fam.

I read a super sick apocalypse fanfiction where the main character is "the Word," because everyone has forgotten how to read and write.  Since he writes for a long time, the ink stains his fingers, and he sucks on the nib since the ink freezes, so his mouth and the lines around it are also stained.  The imagery from that fic really stuck with me.

I'm "re-watching" That 70's Show from the beginning (I use quotes because I never actually watched it in full, just blocks of episodes here and there when I used the computer/television) and HYDE.  I love Hyde, and I also love Donna, and dang it Donna!  Choose Hyde over Eric!!!!  Also Donna is seriously beautiful.

Sunday, April 3, 2016

THE LIPSTICK CHALLENGE // III


DAY XI  //  2/28/16
"Maybelline matte lipstick in FAINT FOR FUCHSIA"
COLOR - purple-toned hot pink
FINISH - creamy matte
TASTE - smells slightly like that neutral smell of drugstore lipstick, hard to explain.
WEAR -  Doesn't hold up to eating, transfers while drinking, but wears evenly on the lips and doesn't immediately wear off.  Doesn't feather.
APPLICATION - applies patchily, but doesn't look too bad.  Smooth.
PRESENTATION - kind of cheap looking drugstore packaging.  Matte, cloudy, square tube.
KEEP/TOSS? - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - really nice hot pink.  Interested in swatching this against the Wn'W pink and MAC's Candy Yum Yum, which I don't own.  


Pictured // Wet N' Wild's Don't Blink Pink, Maybelline's Faint For Fuchsia, MAC's Impassioned


DAY XII  //  2/29/16
"MAC Dita Von Teese lipstick in VON TEESE"
COLOR - true tomato red
FINISH - creamy matte
TASTE - light vanilla
WEAR - great
APPLICATION - very pigmented, easy to apply
PRESENTATION - glossy MAC tube with Dita's name in script.  Same script embossed on the lipstick tube.
KEEP/TOSS? - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - I keep thinking this is a warm red, but it confuses me in different lighting.  I'm glad to have something like this in my collection.



DAY XIII  //  3/1/16
"Bite Beauty matte lipstick, CUSTOM COLOR"
COLOR - blue-red
FINISH - creamy matte
TASTE - mint 
WEAR - great, fades evenly.  Does feather if applied too heavily without a lip liner, but looks great patted on as a stain.  Very comfortable.
APPLICATION - great
PRESENTATION - matte grey tube is super nice.
KEEP/TOSS? - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - all the aspects of this lipstick were custom choices (color, finish, taste, tube shape) and that makes me love it.  Their "matte" isn't a true matte, though, which was a little disappointing.


DAY XIV  //  3/13/16
"Beseme lipstick in NOIR RED"
COLOR - deep plum red
FINISH - creamy matte
TASTE - sweet, faint
WEAR - good, feathers slightly over a couple of hours of wear
APPLICATION - great
PRESENTATION - beautiful tube and bullet
KEEP/TOSS - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - Definitely need to swatch my darker reds to get rid of redundancies.


DAY XV  //  3/17/16
"NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in CRUELLA"
COLOR -  scarlet red
FINISH - matte
TASTE - none
WEAR - great.  Doesn't even wear off after eating a buttery croissant!
APPLICATION - was a bit worried about having to sharpen, but it worked out fine when I finally did it.
PRESENTATION - always love NARS packaging.
KEEP/TOSS? - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - not sure if I'd re-purchase, because I have so many similar colors.