Maybelline Diamonds eyeshadows+mascara on clearance at my Target

I was perusing Target this evening, and happened upon the LE Maybelline Diamonds eyeshadow duos and The Colossal Volum' Express Diamonds mascara in the Maybelline display.  The eyeshadows were on clearance for $2.08, and the mascara for $3.14.  The eyeshadows come in the colors Turquoise Diamond (A shimmery gold-turquoise and white highlight), Copper Diamond (A shimmery gold-brown and copper), and the one I purchased, Amethyst Diamond (A shimmery gold-reddish purple and cream highlight).
The "amethyst" color in the duo didn't jump out at me while I was in the store, but when I put it on at home, it's simply gorgeous!  Now, I just applied it not an hour ago so I can't tell you the quality of the eyeshadow, but the color is just divine.  It's a unique deep burgundy with gold shimmer throughout.

I took some pictures of me wearing it today, shown below, but I don't think they totally do it justice.  You just have to trust me that it's pretty.  :)

Now, the Colossal Diamonds mascara is a little different story.  I had read pretty much all terrible reviews of this online when it launched.  This is why I didn't buy it full price.  $3.14 is reasonable, though, and it's hard for me to pass up a glittery mascara.

1) The glitter is pretty much non-existent on my lashes.  I read that other bloggers couldn't see the glitter from far away, but I can't even see it up close, LOL.  So in that area, thumbs down.
2) It does a pretty fair job to make my lashes look dramatic.  The only thing I don't like is that I have to apply like 5 coats for it to get this way (Which basically makes this another thumbs down for me).  Even though I LOVE the look after I apply all those coats, it's such a waste.
3) The formula gets a little clumpy even on the first coat.  After 3-4 coats you can kind of "cover up" the clumps, but I don't like that.  My lashes look dramatic, but they don't have the "separated and combed" look, if that makes sense.

After all that, I was on-the-edge about whether or not I liked this mascara.  The end result WAS dramatic and what I was looking for.  However, I think I have a deal breaker...
My eyes are a little irritated.  I'm 99.9% sure it's the "diamonds".  It's not an overpowering irritation, but ever-so-slight that I can feel the mascara.  Not good, guys.

I should have taken other bloggers' advice and stayed away from this one.  I'm going to Target tomorrow to see if I can return it (Along with some earrings that I tried and found are too heavy).
Do you think they'll give me my money back if I tell them it irritated my eyes?  That's really what happened, too, lol.  I don't know if they're like Walgreens though and will take used makeup.

Sorry again about not having pictures here.  I don't think we have batteries right now, so it'll have to wait until tomorrow or Friday.

Review: Wet 'n' Wild Mega Volume mascara

I think it's time to declare this week "Wet 'n' Wild Week" on my blog!  :)

I'm happy to finally get this post up, because I don't know about you, but I've been curious about Wet 'n' Wild's new mascaras.  The other products they've revamped (Namely the eyeshadows and lipsticks) have proven to be of great quality, and I just wasn't sure how the mascaras would perform.
This is the Mega Volume mascara in the only color it comes in, Black.  They also have Mega Length, Mega Plump, Lash Intense (The one I returned today), Mega Protein, and Mega Wink mascaras.

You get 0.27oz of product for $2.99.  Just as a comparison, Maybelline's The Colossal Volum' Express mascara gives you .31oz.  So this mascara is smaller in size than a typical volumizing mascara.

A look at the brush:

The brush is what you'd expect from an average volumizing mascara.  It's large, fluffy, and pretty generic.

One thing I don't like about the packaging is that the opening of the tube is a little small for the size of the brush.  Extra product accumulates at the top every time I take the wand out of the tube.

A look at its performance:

(Bare eye, lashes not curled)

(One coat, lashes curled)

(Two coats)

As you can see, this mascara does hardly anything for my lashes.  It doesn't "cling" to them as I apply it, and it definitely doesn't volumize.  From far away you can barely tell I have mascara on.  Personally, I'd rather not even wear mascara if it produces no results!

Pros:

-After re-reading the description, it DOES say it gives you "natural-looking volume".  I'll give it to Wet 'n' Wild that it makes my lashes look natural- but like I'm not wearing anything.

-It won't dent your wallet at only $2.99.  And if you get it as part of a BOGO like I did, you can get it half-priced or free.

-The packaging is small, so it's good if you like something easily portable (Although this is a negative for me too because I'm not getting as much product).

Cons:

-Doesn't add volume

-Formula isn't very buildable (You can tell a slight difference between the 1st and 2nd coats, but not much)

-Doesn't "cling" to my lashes well and isn't noticeable

I got this mascara BOGO 50% off with my purchase of their Lash Intense mascara.  However, since this mascara was such a fail, I returned that one.  Their others may be better than the Mega Volume, but I'll let you decide for yourself if it's worth $2.99.  I think I'm staying far away from their mascaras after this!

Collective post of some good coupons/deals I've spotted (Online)

Good morning!  I just woke up not too long ago lol; I worked 8pm-12am last night, but we didn't get out of there until after midnight.  And then I couldn't fall asleep until 2:30am.  I was definitely sleeping in this morning.

Anyway, I've spotted some new beauty coupons out and about on various websites, and I wanted to show them to you all in one place.  I've posted about a couple of them in random posts, but that gets kind of disorganized.

Allyou.com/coupons- 
Brand new (To me as of this morning) is a Neutrogena coupon for $3.00 off any cosmetics item.
CeraVe $2.00 off any item.
NYC cosmetics $1.00 any item more than $1.72.
*As of today, it looks like they took down the $2.00 off Rimmel coupon that was up there earlier this week. Please correct me if I'm wrong!


Redplum.com-
Sally Hansen Lip treatments $1.00 off.
Rimmel $1.00 off any item.
L'Oreal Paris $1.00 off any cosmetics item.

Dove.com-
You have to search the site a bit, but I found coupons for $1.00 off any Dove body wash and $1.50 off either deodorant or fragrance spray.  Just click through the slideshow on the main page and you'll find them, too!  And if you buy one at Target, go to Target.com and print off the $1.00 off select Dove products coupon.  You can combine these and get it for really cheap!

Aveeno.com-
Go towards the bottom of the main page, and click on the small picture that says "Nourish+Shine Shampoo/Conditioner" and "Get A Free Sample and Instant Savings".  It'll take you to a page where you fill in your information and choose whether you want a free sample, or a $1.00 off coupon for either the shampoo/conditioner or styling products.

eyeslipsface.com-
Since a bunch of their promotions just ended, I'm sure they'll have up more new ones shortly.  But if you enter the code NEWCUSTOMER before checkout, you'll get free shipping.  Also, the code ECD21 will get you 50% off the Studio Line.  And I just tried it on items I currently have in my bag, and it got me up to $18.00 off.  So it doesn't look like it stops at $7.50 or so, like a lot of them do.

I will keep this updated if I find any more good deals soon!  I'm sure most of you already know about these, too, but I just couldn't help but share just incase.

It's Complete!

Today I got the last Wet 'n' Wild 6 eyeshadow palette that I needed to complete my set: Vanity.  I know this isn't groundbreaking or anything (There are only 4 palettes), but I've never had all of one type of makeup collection.  I'm happy! :)  The best part about this was the price I got it for.  I purchased it at my local grocery store, and while the sticker said $4.99, it rang up on sale for $3.74.  I saved $1.25!

Vanity is on the far right, in the front.  It's the brown/gold most-neutral palette of the four.

Swatches (In same order as palette):

I just love these!  So pigmented, and each palette gives you a completely different look.  In my opinion, someone who's not that into makeup or doesn't care to have many different eyeshadows could buy these 4 palettes and call it good for eyeshadow (Like my sister, who pretty much just needs one of every wearable shade and that's enough).

Anyway, when I was at the grocery store I also picked up some new body wash, St. Ives Oatmeal & Shea Butter:

I've been using the Softsoap Juicy Pomegranate & Mango Infusions for like the last 6 months, and I'm finally tiring of it.  This one just has a creamy consistency.  I've been wanting to make my own body scrub by adding some sugar to a body wash, so I thought this would work perfectly.  

And lastly, I thought I'd post about something I did today: I finally lit my Yankee Candle tart warmer!  I got it from a girlfriend a couple years ago, and it's been sitting on my desk unused for the longest time.  I had tarts in Vanilla Lime and Sage & Citrus, and I decided to light the Vanilla Lime.  You put a tea light in the bottom opening, and then set the tart in the top.  Once the candle gets going, it slowly melts the tart.  And your house starts to smell lovely.  :)

My mom & I went to the mall earlier, and I went into Yankee Candle to see if they had any more of the tarts.  They had a bunch for $1, so I picked up one called Spa Fresh.  I also got another car fragrance gel in Pineapple Cilantro.  My car smells awesome, haha.

I'm going to start lighting my tart warmer a lot more from now on.  It's so relaxing.

Hope you're all having a good Monday, and thanks for reading.  :)

EOTD: Walking On Eggshells with Wet 'n' Wild!

I'm so happy that I bought a couple more of the Wet 'n' Wild Color Icon trio eyeshadows.  When I was at Walgreens earlier, I realized I only had one (Knock On Wood- a deep burgundy, chocolate brown, and darkened pink).  I completely forgot how much I love these you guys!  I'll probably end up buying a couple more this week while WnW is still BOGO.
So since I have all this excitement about these, I decided to do an eye look with one.  For this EOTD I used Walking On Eggshells, which is a light cream for the browbone, a chestnut brown for the crease, and a champagne for the lid.  They are all shimmer, FYI.

(Walking On Eggshells on the right)

Everything I used:

-Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush chubby eye stick in Glampagne all over lid/crease

-Wet 'n' Wild trio Walking On Eggshells, putting the colors where the palette says to

-Wet 'n' Wild cream eyeliner in Black (I never use black eyeliner!) on upper lashline

-Covergirl Exact Eyelights eyeliner in Vivid Ruby on outer lower lashline

-Covergirl LashBlast Volume mascara in Very Black

I love using that Beauty Rush eye stick as a base for champagne-colored shadows.  It really makes them pop!  Although it does increase the shimmery-ness by a lot.

Oh, and one more thing- that champagne color in the Wet 'n' Wild palette really reminds me of MAC Naked Lunch or Stila Kitten (i think?  I've never owned the Stila, but it looks similar from pictures).  Naked Lunch is an old favorite of mine, though.

Thanks for reading again!  

(PS! Redplum.com has a new Rimmel coupon for $1.00 off any product!  Allyou.com has one too, but I've already printed my limit, LOL.  But this one from Redplum is new!  Just a heads up.  Maybe I can snag that new mascara now.)

Walgreens Wet 'n' Wild BOGO Haul+New Rimmel mascara

Walgreens has Wet 'n' Wild BOGO 50% off this week, so of course I'm all over that.

(Lash Intense mascara, ColorIcon eyeshadow trios in Sweet As Candy (top) and Walking On Eggshells (bottom), Mega Volume mascara)

I thought these were all $2.99.  I'm on a serious budget right now, so I wanted to take advantage of this sale, but I didn't want to buy any one item that over $2.99.  That was my limit.  And I figured that I could get 4 items if they were all $2.99, so I settled on these.  Well, only the Mega Volume mascara and two eyeshadow trios were $2.99.  The Lash Intense mascara was $4.99, which I didn't know, because the mascaras are on this little display that spins and it only shows the price of one $2.99 mascara (I think it was the Mega Blink or something).  I just assumed all of them were $2.99.  My main reason for getting the Lash Intense one was that it had a $1.00 off manufacturer's sticker attached to it.


So I get up to the cashier, she rings it up, and it comes to like $10.68.  I asked her to check everything.  I finally saw that the one mascara was $4.99, not $2.99, but by that time I was just wanting to get out of there.  That one is going to be exchanged tomorrow for something else (I'll get another mascara).
Yes, I'm super cheap, LOL.

I love those Color Icon trios, though- see my review of the one I have here.  I've never tried their mascaras, and for $2.99 I don't expect them to be great, but we'll see!  Any recommendations on which one I should get tomorrow?  Or should I keep the Lash Intense? They also have a Mega Protein one, the Mega Blink (Curling), and a thickening/volumizing one.

Update:
I tried out the Mega Volume mascara and I really dislike it.  It didn't stick to my lashes or anything- you can hardly tell I'm wearing mascara.  I'll do a more in-depth review of this soon, but for now, don't spend your $2.99 on it!  Not worth it!

And last but not least, I saw the new Rimmel Volume Flash Curves mascara:

(Sorry for the poor cell phone picture quality!)

It's in a display with the regular Volume Flash mascara.  Anyone tried this yet?  I'm very curious.  You could get it with the $1.00 Rimmel coupon over at All You's coupon site, if you want to save money.  It's retailing at Walgreen's for $6.99.

Randoms

1) On a completely unrelated topic, look at what happened to my new Victoria's Secret eyeshadow palette (The one I purchased at the Semi-annual sale and did my most recent purple EOTD with):

!!!!!!!!

It fell out of my makeup drawer and hit my tile floor!  I was so mad.  Luckily it's not completely destroyed...

2) And another stupid thing I did on Tuesday, but just noticed it while I was in the shower this morning:

LOL.  So there I was at Target, thinking, "I need new shampoo.  Oh!  I should try the new Pantene stuff."  So I decide to get the kind for fine hair (I probably should've gone with the kind for medium-thick hair, but I wanted the volume stuff), and I'm looking at the different types.  They have one to get "Fragile to Strong" hair, and another to get "Flat to Volume" hair.  I don't know how I ended up with THESE, one Fragile to Strong conditioner and one Flat to Volume 2 in 1.  I never use 2 in 1, haha.  Whoops!  

3) Anyway, I'm going with my boyfriend to his hometown today/tonight.  It's out in the country, but it's also on a lake, so we're going to go swimming/to the beach and stuffs.  This is the first time so far this summer that I've really had to "summer-proof" my makeup.  Unfortunately I don't have waterproof mascara, but I'm wearing my Maybelline Mineral Power powder foundation on my face, Benefit High Beam on my browbones and cheekbones, and then just some eyeliner (My trusty Clinique Quickliner) along with mascara.  

I rarely wear this little makeup, and I practically ALWAYS wear eyeshadow.  But I think it'll do me just fine considering it's going to be 90+ degrees and 70% humidity.  Lovely!  :)

4) This didn't occur to me until today, but has anyone ever tried using paint brushes as makeup brushes? I wouldn't like throw out all my makeup brushes and only use paint brushes, but maybe having a few to complete my collection.  There are a few kinds of brushes I would like to have but don't want to dish out $$ on (Hobby Lobby has some decent prices, so I was thinking of checking out their selection).  Have you ever used paint brushes for makeup?

5) I achieved Carpenter Bee status on BzzAgent, haha!  Woopee!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

My Eyeliner "Collection"

This should hardly be called a collection, as I don't have too too many.  I've also tossed out quite a few recently that I just wasn't using or had a similar color of.  And let me just mention while I'm thinking about it- ELF's $1 brightening eyeliners are terrible.  These came to mind just now because I tried one in Coffee, a dark brown, not too long ago, and it smeared and smudged and never dried on my lid.  It just sat there, all sticky and gross.  This is one I just tossed out tonight as I was going through my stash.
Anyway, here they are:

From left to right: 

Pencil: Milani Liquif'eye in Silver, L'Oreal HiP eyeliner in Violet Volt, N.Y.C. Waterproof eyeliner in Teal, Rimmel Spark It Up! eye darkening pencils in Tiger's Eye, Peridot, & Black Gold

Automatic: Clinique Quickliner in Roast Coffee, Wet 'n' Wild IdolEyes eyeliner in Dark Brown, Covergirl Exact Eyelights eyeliner in Vivid Ruby, Mary Kay eyeliner in Amethyst, E.L.F. waterproof eyeliner pen in Coffee.

These are my current pencil eyeliners.  I'll talk about these in order from left to right.  I rarely use the Milani one because of the color (It also irritates my eye a little), but it has awesome staying power and glides on gorgeously.  The L'Oreal HiP works the same way, and it's the same kind of "Urban Decay 24/7 drugstore dupe" eyeliner, like the Milani Liquif'eye.  This one doesn't irritate my eyes at all, though, and I love the color.  The N.Y.C. waterproof pencil is my favorite plain teal eyeliner- it retails between $3 and $4, so it's also my favorite SUPER inexpensive, easily available eyeliner.  The next three are all Rimmel Spark It Up! eyeliners, and these are probably my favorite "fun" eyeliners right now (I say fun because they have shimmer in them- they aren't gritty, though).  They're a little more expensive at around $5 a piece, but still not bad at all.  They are incredibly pretty, too!  

Swatches, in same order as pencils are shown above:

The three Rimmel eyeliners are on the far right- Tiger's Eye is a darker bronze, Peridot is a dark slightly-more-green-than-blue teal, and Black Gold is like an antique black gold, like the title.  I don't really know how else to describe it!  These last pretty well as long as you don't touch them- so, they aren't as durable as Milani Liquif'eye or L'Oreal HiP eyeliners, but they are still good quality.

These are my current retractable eyeliners (With exception of the ELF pen).  80% of them are shades of dark brown, and that was totally not intentional.  From left to right: My Clinique Quickliner is my everyday "I just want something quick and neutral that will stick" eyeliner.  It's a deep reddish brown, and it's got wonderful staying power (Actually, all of these have pretty decent staying power).  The Wet 'n' Wild IdolEyes eyeliner is my favorite for a deep chocolate brown color.  It also has great durability, and it's only $1.99 at most drugstores.  This is what I would recommend to anyone that wants a super cheap, great quality, basic eyeliner.  The Covergirl Eyelights eyeliner is just a standard dark brown, nothing too special about the color.  The quality is average, but it really stays on my waterline.  The Mary Kay eyeliner is a GORGEOUS shade of purple-gold that I just love.  If you have green eyes like me, I think this color is a must-have!  The pencil is tiny, though, so I probably wouldn't repurchase this at $10.  Finally is the E.L.F. Waterproof eyeliner pen, which feels like you're applying a felt-tip marker to your eyes.  This is OK, but I don't personally like the look of liquid eyeliner of any kind.

Swatches, in same order as pictured above:

The Clinique one is obviously a fair amount lighter than the other browns, which is why I don't use it if I'm looking to do a deep, smokey eye.  For neutral looks it's perfect!

What are your favorite eyeliners?  

Super Mini ELF Haul+EOTD

The only way I can justify this (pathetic excuse of a) haul is that I was not feeling well today and needed a pick-me-up.  I don't know why it just wasn't my day, but at least it's almost over.  :)

I went to a ton of different stores today (In the mall, and then Target, Walgreens, and Walmart) searching for something that peeked my interest, and nothing really did it.  I even found the infamous Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure nail polish at Walmart, but still couldn't justify spending $6.50 on it.  It is beautiful, though!  It stinks having to really cut back on shopping, lol.
Anyway, I settled on only two things from ELF that I've been kind of curious about recently- the Tone Correcting Concealer in Light Beige and Shimmering Facial Whip in Lilac Petal.  I don't know if anyone has a strong desire to hear about these, but here they are just incase:

Bottom line about these: Skip the concealer.  It's only $1, but it doesn't work very well at all.

Now the Facial Whip I like.  I had read reviews about it being too shimmery, but just a little on my cheekbones and browbones I think is super pretty.  I used it over my foundation but under my powder, so it toned down the shimmer quite a bit.

Now onto my EOTD, which is a bronzy-brown experiment!  I hardly ever do brown.

I call this an experiment because I used my ELF Golden Bronzer as eyeshadow.  I didn't mix the colors, but used three of the four separately.  I also broke out my ELF mineral eyeshadows; Wild in my outer crease and Innocence as a shimmery highlight.  Using that bronzer as eyeshadow was a success, though, I think!

Products used:

-ELF Tone Correcting Concealer as eye base (I'm still avoiding my old Almay eye base)

-ELF Golden Bronzer

-ELF mineral eyeshadows in Wild and Innocence

-Mary Kay eyeliner in Amethyst

-Covergirl Exact Eyelights mascara in Black Ruby

I love how the eyeliner and mascara are practically the same color!  Both are a purple-gold hybrid with beautiful sheen.

Have a great night everyone!

  

Review: Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

I know I said I was going to limit my makeup-buying for a little while, but I swear, I am!  Example: I went to Walgreens today and didn't get sidetracked in the makeup aisle.  

I did, however, purchase Maybelline's newest mascara, The Falsies.  Lately there have been lots of new and talked-about mascaras that I've wanted to try- 

Covergirl LashBlast Fusion, LashBlast Length 

Revlon Grow Luscious

Maybelline Pro line mascaras, The Falsies

L'Oreal Telescopic Explosion

I've heard so-so reviews about all of them, The Falsies included, so I don't really have a desire to purchase any others (Except another one of the Maybelline Pro mascaras- I tried the Curling one and hated it, but I might pick up the Extensions sometime.  Although I'm beginning to wonder if Maybelline mascaras just aren't for me!  I do love my Colossal Volum' Express).

My reason for going with The Falsies was that I had been lemming it ever since it came out.  I'm pretty sure I actually read about it on a blog overseas, before it came to the US, and I had no idea it would ever get here.  

Let's see how it performed for me!

So, the idea of this mascara is that it makes your lashes look like false lashes .  It's supposed to fan them out, adding depth in places needed.  The formula is Pro-Keratin and fiber enriched so you see results right away.  It's also washable, which was something that helped convince me to buy it.

Let's look at the brush:

(Sorry about the side view picture- it's kind of blurry)

It's a spoon-style brush, which I'm not an expert at using.  You hold the spoon side against your lashes and apply it that way, as stated on the back of the package.  I've used it a few times now so I've gotten pretty used to it.  Besides it being a spoon brush, the bristles are really similar to the Colossal Volum' Express (My review of that mascara here).  I like how long they are.  You can also see from these pictures that at the base of the brush, there is a little notch that makes it so the brush is more flexible.  It bends really easily! 

Now let's see how it works in action:

The picture is so small!  Click to enlarge.

1. is my bare eye

2. is one coat of The Falsies, eyelashes curled

3. is two coats

4. is three coats

I'd buy The Colossal Volum' Express again over this, hands down.  I was not too impressed.  From the pictures, my lashes DO look longer and more OOMPH-like than with no mascara, but it just doesn't make them as organized as I like them.  I felt like they got stuck together too easily, and the mascara didn't cling enough to each lash.  Things also got pretty clumpy and straggle-y after one coat.  

It's not a total bust, and I'll keep trying it and see if things get better.  But I was pretty let down, to say the least!

Pros:

-You can catch this on sale at Target this week for $5.99, so it's not a bad price.

-It's washable, and it comes off easily with makeup remover (I'd guess soap and water would work)

-It's not a bad mascara if you JUST want some extra length and darkness. 

Cons:

-Doesn't get my lashes "organized" or separated

-Doesn't volumize

-Doesn't hold curl too well

Have any of you had better luck with this?  

NOTD: More Nudeness

It's funny how intrigued I've gotten by nude nail polish.  Ever since wearing Wet 'n' Wild Private Viewing, the one I declared my "mannequin hand" shade, I've wanted more and more.  This is another one of my E.L.F. nail polishes in a color called Innocence.  It's one of their new ones.

It's a light beige color, but it has some gray undertones as well as yellow.  I think you can see it better in this picture:

It's borderline muddy in my opinion, but it's a different color- something I don't have in my little nail polish collection.  It's actually only my third (I think?) nude-ish shade.  

This was three pretty heavy coats, and the sheer-ness is my only real complaint about it other than the so-so lasting time (As with most E.L.F. nail polishes.  I got my Mint Cream to last a good 3-4 days without chipping, but that was only with a good layer of my Sally Hansen 4-in-1 nail treatment on top).  I wish the color was more opaque.  I have to remember that it was only $1, though, so I can't be too hard on it!

Are you sporting any nude nail polishes right now?  Care to share some with me?  I'd love to hear your favorites!

EOTD: Shimmery Purple and First OOTD! (Pic heavy)

I haven't done a look on here in awhile.  That wasn't on purpose at all, I just wasn't doing anything too interesting (I've been getting a lot of use out of my E.L.F. Nouveau Neutrals eyeshadow palette, if that gives you any idea of the eye looks I've been doing!).  This EOTD actually isn't too exciting either, but I haven't worn purple eyeshadow in awhile and I was missing it.  It used to be the color I'd wear on a daily basis.
This look is using my Victoria's Secret "Savage Beauty" mineral eyeshadow quad in Safari Chic (See this post for pictures and swatches).  That quad was actually my main motivation for doing a purple EOTD, so I'm glad I had it handy!  A note about the eyeshadows, before I continue:  they aren't that pigmented.  I'm pretty disappointed, as I thought they were more intense, but unfortunately I have to re-apply the color to my eyes several times to achieve my desired pigmentation.  They sure are pretty, though!

(Excuse my eyelashes, too- this is the result of a failed attempt at using The Falsies mascara, so I added about three others on top of it LOL)

(Bad angle on my nose, whoops!)

What I used

Eyes:

-E.L.F. All Over Cover Stick in light beige (I've been seeing how this works as an eyeshadow base, because I couldn't put up with how badly Almay's eye base was drying out my lids.  The E.L.F. doesn't work THAT well, but it's not too bad either)

-VS eyeshadow quad in Safari Chic- the dark purple, light purple, and shimmery champagne for a highlight

-Wet 'n' Wild Idol Eyes eyeliner in Dark Brown

-Maybelline The Falsies mascara (Review to come!), along with Covergirl LashBlast and Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express

Face:

-Maybelline The Eraser treatment makeup in Buff Beige

-N.Y.C. Translucent Mosaic face powder

-E.L.F. Studio blush in Mellow Mauve 

Lips:

-E.L.F. Hypershine lip gloss in Blossom

Now onto my OOTD.  I've never done one of these before, just an FYI, lol.  I'm wearing a few things I got in the cities last weekend, though (Actually everything except my flip flops and tank top).  

(A better picture of my shoes- that's Sinful Colors Mint Apple on my toes, if you're wondering :)

Tank top- American Eagle

Cardigan- Heritage 1981

Scarf- Wet Seal

Pants- Heritage 1981

Flip flops- AE

I wish the weather would stay warm here.  It's not cold exactly, but the sun hasn't been staying out for too long either.  :(

Thanks for reading!

BzzAgent

Happy Wednesday, everyone!  All this morning I've been exploring BzzAgent, "the leading word-of-mouth marketing company" (http://bzzagent.com).  I'm not here to promote it or anything, but I am very new to the website and not so sure how to get started.
I've heard of BzzAgent from various bloggers, and just today I conveniently saw that Drugstore Divas posted about it as well.  It got me thinking that I really need to do something with my account that I've had for a month or two (I registered awhile back but thought it was something I would never get into/that wasn't worth it, so I left it alone).
I guess I don't have too many specific questions, but I'd love to hear how you got started if you'd like to share!  So far today I've rated some websites, added my own review to a few, and taken a boatload (It feels like!) of surveys.  I really want to increase my "Status" and get samples sent to me.  :)

Hope you're all having a good day!

Another Non-Beauty Post: My Everyday Favorite (Healthy!) Foods

Eating healthy foods and getting in exercise are pretty important to me.  Today I'm going to talk a little about the things I like to eat on a day-to-day basis.  I really thank my parents for instilling healthy messages in my head.  They raised me on lots of fruits and vegetables, which has in-turn made me love eating them as I've gotten older.  

Possibly my favorite snack of all time is apples and peanut butter.  I've read that with peanut butter you should eat the full-fat kind, instead of the reduced-fat (Like I have), but I'm so used to the reduced-fat that I just go straight for that.  I think it tastes just as good.  Another favorite snack that I usually eat before dinner is carrots and my favorite dressing, Kraft Light Three Cheese Ranch.  My mom raised me on Light Ranch, so I'm really used to eating it.  But this stuff doesn't taste light to me at all!  And I threw the blueberries in there because I could eat the entire package in one sitting (If they aren't soft and soggy).  Fruits are just so wonderful!

This is a portion of "my part" of the pantry (I live at home).  I love energy/nutrition bars as an afternoon snack, especially when I'm at work or going straight there to my boyfriend's house, who lives out of town.  Clif bars are my favorite, but I also like Luna bars.  This is actually the first time I've tried Balance (I've heard mixed reviews so we'll see!) Update: I LOVE these!  The cookie dough kind that I got taste just like a slab of cookie dough covered in chocolate.  The Special K Protein shakes are so yummy, and I have one some mornings alongside my breakfast.  I started drinking these when I was trying to gain some weight a few months ago, and I decided I really liked them.  They really help tide me over until lunch.

Side note- I don't eat/drink these just for the protein, but it does help give me energy and keep me full!

I love oatmeal for breakfast.  Typically I'll either eat this or a banana and a Special K shake (I'm not a huge breakfast person), it just depends on how much time I have.  I love that it keeps me satisfied.  Sometimes it even feels indulgent, but that's only really when I have the Maple & Brown Sugar kind and I slice up bananas.  

Lastly are pretzel sticks, and my goodness, I think people associate me with these and my fuji apples.  It's kind of sad, but I always eat them!  For some reason I just love pretzels, probably because of the saltiness and texture.  These were 2/$4 today at the grocery store too; I was happy! Haha.

Now this isn't to say I don't LOVE sweets, because I have a mega sweet tooth!  My godparents always sent me candy along with my birthday presents when I was little; I'm pretty sure when they thought of me they thought of swedish fish.  At any rate, I still love anything sweet, but I try not to eat much of it daily because so much sugar makes me feel sick.  On a regular basis I like things like those Clif bars (Maple Nut) that taste like dessert, to me anyway, but are still nutritional.  When I want to have something extra yummy, I LOVE me a Starbuck's Vanilla Bean frappuccino (Holy Lactaid!).

These are just some of the things I like to eat; they're not the only things I eat.  I don't get as much dairy in as I should, and it makes it harder that I'm lactose intolerant.  I try to drink skim milk or have yogurt on occasion, though.

What kinds of foods do you enjoy eating?  Thanks for reading!

FYI: What to Expect

I know I've been doing lots of random blogging this week, and this is no exception, lol.  I wanted to let you all know what's to come on the blog the next couple of weeks, though!  Since I said earlier that I spent most of my (Allotted) money on my trip last weekend, I won't be purchasing as much makeup the next couple of weeks.  That's not to say I won't buy any, but I definitely cannot make my usual trip to Target or Walgreens to peruse the makeup aisles.  ;)  My goal is to hit pan on at least a few products and use up ones I haven't touched in awhile.
With that said, expect to see looks, product reviews, and other posts about makeup that I've had in my stash for awhile.
I'm trying to think of different things to post about, too, besides just product reviews/hauls/looks.  If you have any ideas, please be sure to let me know!  I'm trying to put together a few videos (Although I only have Photobooth on my Mac), and I did figure out how to use iMovie so that could be...interesting.  Ha.

Have a good day everyone; I'll be resuming makeup posts ASAP!

Goodies From The (Twin) Cities (Pic Heavy)

Phew, I'm finally home.  It feels nice to be back in my own territory, even though I so much enjoyed seeing relatives and shopping.  But today I want to get right to the point and show you everything I purchased!  I didn't get any makeup, I should mention, but I'm actually quite proud of myself for that.  I need to hit pan on some favorites before buying more.  :)

First is what I'm most excited about, my new purse from ALDO:

This picture really doesn't do it justice, but you get the idea.  It has gold hardware that is kind of hard to tell from this, and I just couldn't find a good angle that captured it quite right.  Anyway it was $48 but I had a $25 Visa giftcard, so after tax I only paid $26.  

(The scarf didn't come with the bag- I got that on my trip too, from Wet Seal for $3!)

I love the inside:

It has two large compartments separated by a zippered pouch in the middle, and then on either side of the lining there are pockets.  This bag is seriously huge, but I just love it!  I threw my cardigan in there yesterday while shopping and you couldn't even tell. 

OK, next up is all clothes/accessories.

Nordstrom Rack:

Like I mentioned yesterday, this was my 2nd time going to a Nordstrom Rack.  The first one I went to I had reeeally wanted to find a pair of cool jeans, but it didn't end up happening.  This time it did!  Well, they're not that cool or anything, but still what I've been wanting.  They are by a brand called Vigoss and they are "straight" leg jeans.  Super super soft, and they have some rips in the knees, but my favorite part is the back pockets.  I love all the little details in them!  I got these on sale for $29; they were originally like $54.

Heritage 1981, Forever 21, and Wet Seal:

These pants I got from Heritage 1981, a sub-brand of Forever 21.  They're those wide-legged, really lightweight linen pants that are perfect for summer.  I don't have any others so I was happy to find these!  They were $22, I think (Sorry about not being exact with the prices, I already cut off the price tags and I just don't feel like looking for my receipts right now, lol :).

Top & Cardigan from Heritage 1981, Scarf from Wet Seal

I realized when I was buying the three clothing items from H1981 that they made a great outfit, lol!  Yes, I wore them all together the next day.  :)  The blue top was about $22, and the cardigan was $24.

This scarf, along with the one tied to my bag, were both $3 at Wet Seal.  Seriously, if you live by a Wet Seal you have to take advantage of this sale!  They have some really cute scarves.  This one pictured here is my favorite of the two, because it's colorful floral with cute little gold leaves hanging off the fringe.  A girl working at Forever 21 was like, "Oh, your scarf is so... unique?  It has jewelry on it!"  Haha.

This is an empire-waisted dress with low-cut sleeves that I got from Forever 21.  It hits a few inches above my knees, and ties in the back.  I love it, although I wear it with a tank top underneath because the top goes down farther than I'd like.  

Not pictured is another top I got, which I'm wearing right now; it's similar in style to the blue one but it's a pale peach-pink.

Accessories: For Love 21 and Claire's

  

The rose necklace I got from Forever 21's accessory store, For Love 21, for $4.80.  The long beaded necklace is from the clearance tower at Claire's, which was like $2.75 after the price reduction.  I love these, and so did my baby cousin, too!  She kept playing with them when I held her.

Guys, I still can't believe I got this much.  Just knowing how much I spent is nearly killing me, but I am truly happy with every single thing.  I've worn everything on my trip so far, and my purse is being so well taken care of.  Haha.  Oh, I just remembered that I did also buy a purse-sized lotion from Victoria's Secret- the Honeysuckle & White Patchouli kind- and it was $1.75.  Gosh, I'm such a sucker for great deals!  Especially when it brings the price down to under $5.  Anyway, thanks for reading- I was really excited to share with you the goodies I found!

More on my adventures at CVS another time.  :)