Wore Feminist lippie stix and lippie pencil the other day and I am totally in love with it (though to be honest, I love me a dark lip)! I’ve got my eyes on the green color Colourpop makes (Bunny) but I’ve never ventured into unconventional colors and I’m not sure I could muster up the courage to wear it out. @colourpopcosmetics

Came home to find these lovely lippies on my doorstep! Can you tell I love matte lipsticks?

Nails for the week: Deborah Lippmann in 99 Luftballoons. Since it’s officially December I had to go with sparkles and red!

Glambot Review: Selling Experience

So I’ve seen a lot of reviews on people purchasing from Glambot, but hadn’t heard too much on experiences with selling one’s used makeup to them. Since I couldn’t find any reviews, I decided on a whim to just give them a shot and try it out.

So, just some details to begin with. Glambot has a specific list of brands for which they accept new/used items from (https://www.glambot.com/what-can-i-sell) and these are basically all non-drugstore brands. In order to sell them your own makeup, you have to request a shipping label (https://www.glambot.com/sell) which they will send you via email. Basically, on your end it costs nothing to ship your makeup to them, as they will foot the bill once they receive your package.

You can sell items that are used as long as they aren’t mascara/lip gloss or makeup items that they cannot sanitize. Powder products are all fine, it’s mostly the lip/eye products you’ll have to make sure are new.There’s some specific instruction on how to package your products, but basically bubble wrap carefully and pad your box. Once you’ve picked out and packaged the products you want to sell, you can estimate how much you think you can earn from Glambot using their earnings table (https://www.glambot.com/earnings).

After that you ship your box and…you wait. For reference I live in the Bay Area and Glambot’s office is in San Francisco. It took them about two weeks to get back to me with an offer, and by that time I had started to wonder if my package had gotten lost. They did mention they had been swarmed with several sellers at the time, so my guess is it would probably take a little less time if you were to go ahead and sell now. I boxed up between 10-25 name brand/luxury brand items and received approximately $400 for my items. I chose to get cash via Paypal, but if you opt for Glambucks you actually get about 1.5 times the amount and you have to use them to purchase items on the website. There is also a third option of half cash and half Glambucks. In my offer, Glambot had indicated that one of the shadows I had sent had been smashed on arrival and even included a picture of the product so that I could see visual evidence. I really liked this touch and appreciate the extra time taken out to do that.

Once I emailed back accepting my offer, I received a Paypal transfer within half an hour. Overall the whole process went really smoothly, minus the somewhat long wait time, and I would definitely sell to them again!

On a side note, they have an affiliates program that anyone can join and you get 10% of any referrals that lead to purchases on the site. I’ve included my personal link below but don’t feel obligated to use it if you don’t want to :) 

Affiliate Link

Also, Glambot has no idea that I’m doing this review or that I even blog about beauty products. So as always, this is my honest opinion of the process.

Long time no post. So I figured I’d post some fall inspired makeup looks. If you’re interested in product lists, click here to read after the jump!

Finally depotted my domed makeup :)

Sephora formula x polishes in Radioactive and Bionic, totally obsessed!

What's in my Travel Makeup Bag?

I finally managed to get some time off to visit my family back home in Texas, so I figured I could do a quick post on the makeup I took with me. The lip and cheek products are some of my faves for the summertime, so hopefully they will be interesting if you are looking for any new summer products :)

The makeup bag I took with me was my neon pink Ted Baker bag. I LOVE the color. I also unfortunately love every other color that this bag comes in…and it was a serious dilemma picking this one out since the neon yellow and mint were serious contenders as well. The material of this bag allows for easy clean up with a makeup wipe or paper towel and it’s quite roomy.



During the summertime I like to use a light weight foundation and supplement with fuller coverage concealers for any blemishes. I really like that the Laura Mercier concealers are thick and peach/orange toned since they last through just about anything. I recently re-discovered my MUFE HD powder and am kicking myself for ever having put it in the back of my drawer.



Ah the cheek products. You’ll notice that I really like peach/orange/bronze products for the cheeks and lips in the summer! I like to layer a cream blush with a powder blush for added staying power and the MAC MSF in Cheeky Bronze is basically my new holy grail summer item. I highly recommend checking it out if you have a medium/tan complexion for use as a blush topper or highlighter. If you have fair skin, I bet it would be a fantastic bronze goddess all over bronzer :)







For the lips I brought a few bold options and a more neutral one. Again, I love peach/orange so Maybelline Vibrant Mandarin and MAC Ravishing were a no brainer. For an alternative bright I packed MAC Girl About Town and to tone down any of the colors I added my MAC Cremesheen Glass in Kiss Don’t Tell (sadly LE but one of my ultimate fav lip glosses). I added the MUFE Aqua Lip Liners because I find they last really well through meals, and a trip home always means lots of eating.





I packed pretty basic for my eyes and eyebrows. The Smashbox eye primer is my new holy grail primer (previously NARS, but this one is just as good and cheaper) and a must have for the summertime.



Last but not least, I included two palettes by LORAC. I love how compact the packaging is and am pretty much obsessed with all the colors inside. The texture of the powders are so buttery smooth and pigmented, and there’s plenty of neutrals along with a few pops of color. I pretty much planned to keep my eyelids neutral and play up the color on my cheeks and lips.





That wraps up what I packed for my trip!

Weekly mani using Revlon Berry Jeweled nail polish

Clearance alert! My local Target has all the NYX butter glosses on sale for $3.48 (regular price $4.99). Be sure to check it out if you like these :)

Summer Jewelry Organization!

I know, it's not makeup. But jewelry makes things more beautiful just like makeup, amirite? I got this display board for only $8 at Marshall's and hung up all of my summer earrings and necklaces on it :)

Sephora & Ulta Haul!

After three months of using up tons of products, I finally accumulated enough reward money to do some shopping! In case you are curious, in order to curb my shopping and encourage myself to use up things in my collection, I use a reward system where I get $4 for every full size item I finish, $2 for every deluxe/travel size item, and $0.50 for foil packet samples. The rule is I can't buy anything if I haven't accumulated the money to purchase it. On a limited budget, I made use of some of my ULTA rewards as well as their BOGO sale on NYX items to keep myself in check.

The goodies!

As you can see, I went a little bit crazy with lip products but I am super pleased with all of them! The palette is from Mally and it's a blush/bronzer/highlight palette which I thought would be great for travel purposes.

First up, the Mally Shimmer, Shape and Glow palette ($40, 11.4g). I chose the "Deeper" option, but the "Lighter" option is very similar with a more champagne highlighter, a slightly lighter bronzer, and a pink blush. The highlighter is a really nice gold, sort of similar to NARS Albatross. The bronzer is a cool brown with a matte/satin finish, which is similar to Benefit Hoola. The blush is a gorgeous peachy coral with some subtle gold sheen. It's the perfect combo for the summertime!

  

I've been seeing reviews for the Too Faced Melted lipsticks ($21, 0.4 oz) all over the internet, and for once, the nude shade is one that doesn't wash me out! This is a really rare thing, so I knew I needed to snatch this up. This is a browny pink nude and the formula is divine. It's smooth and non-drying with a fuzzy felt tip applicator which makes application a snap.

Believe it or not, these are my very first NYX Butter Glosses ($4, 0.27 oz). The original line didn't have any colors that appealed to me, but NYX recently doubled their color selection and I went straight for two of the nude options, Praline and Ginger Snap. Praline is a pinky brown, while Ginger Snap is pretty much just a brown. I love the texture and scent on these, though they aren't very long wearing. These are perfect to wear on their own, or to pair with light nudes or brights that you want to tone down.

This was a new display in Sephora, and it's called the Luster Matte Long Wear Lip Color ($16, 0.14 oz). It was basically love at first swatch with this product. They are super slick and although they dry somewhat matte, they still have a really nice natural slickness to them and don't look dry. The formula is smooth and moisturizing, and doesn't emphasize fine lines. This color is a fall one, but it was the one I was most drawn to. Who cares about makeup rules, I'm gonna rock this vampy color whenever I feel like it! I hope to pick up some other colors once I use up more products.

I also picked up a Nano lip liner in Chic Choco ($5) from Sephora, but I couldn't get it to stop rolling long enough to take a close up picture. It is however swatched in the picture below :)

Everything in the haul is super wearable, and I have already started incorporating these products into my daily routine!

Sephora VIB Haul (15% off)

I've been on a no-buy since January so I thought I could treat myself to some new things since I had the coupon. I picked up the NARS duo in Earth Angel, the Urban Decay Electric palette, the Sephora Color of the Year blush palette and a 100 point perk which is a deluxe size of the Glam Glow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate mask. Let me know if there's something you want me to review!

Modern Pewter

Please excuse the bangs, I didn't realize they were in the way until I went to upload the pictures.

Eyeshadow Base: Maybelline Color Tattoo Nude Compliment 90

Lid: MAC Modern Pewter Extra Dimension eyeshadow

Crease: Jane Clay

Outer V: Jane Willow

Winged Liner: Bobbi Brown Black Mauve Shimmer Ink

Waterline: MAC Graphblack Technakohl liner

Mascara: Too Faced Lash Injection (not really in love with this, but am going to keep testing it out)

Tips For Scoring High End Cosmetics for Bargain Prices

Makeup is expensive. Whether you purchase drugstore or high end makeup, getting enough items for a full face still adds up fast! So, I thought I would share my money saving tips for getting the most bang for your buck on those high end and luxury beauty items which cause sticker shock for so many of us.

Sephora and Ulta 20% off coupons: If you are a beauty insider at Sephora, or part of Ulta’s rewards program which are absolutely free to join, you’ll be sent some sweet 20% off your entire purchase coupons. Sephora usually has theirs sent out mid-holiday season which is a great way to save on presents and Ulta has one that’s at the end of January which is the perfect time to get holiday products on discounts and some of the new spring collection items.

Ebates: If you purchase online, you should consider creating an Ebates account. They regularly give you anywhere between 4-10% of your total purchase back as a check once every 3 months. All you do is sign into Ebates and then navigate to your retail website and it will automatically track the amount you spent and calculate the percentage to send back to you.

Flash Sale Websites: Hautelook and Gilt frequently feature Prestige makeup on their sites and are absolutely free to join. This can be a great way to snag a deal without using a coupon or discount code.

Makeup Brand Websites: Go ahead and check the actual makeup brand websites. A lot of these will have sale pages and I’ve found Lorac, Urban Decay and Stila have great deals for items they are discontinuing or were limited edition. You can also sign up for emails and get discount codes sent to you periodically. Some brands also offer rewards programs, such as Bare Minerals, and you can get a free birthday gift along with other random coupons or free gifts throughout the year.

Sephora Weekly Deals: This is yet another excellent way to get sample-sized products. You can usually tack on a code if you spend $25 online and there are some really great things you can get to try because deluxe sample sizes can certainly last quite a long time.

Cosmetic Company Outlet: These you can find in certain shopping outlet centers. CCO’s carry overstock or limited edition products from brands owned by Estee Lauder (MAC, Bobbi Brown, Flirt, etc) and can be a great place to find discounted products as well as any holy grail items that have been discontinued.

Lancome – Designer Fragrances and Cosmetics Company: Also found in some outlets, these are really great! The reason I particularly like this store is because they not only carry Lancome, but also YSL. It is VERY difficult to come by discounted YSL products and there’s quite a bit available here. In addition, I recommend going towards the end of summer since they tend to have an additional 40-50% off. I myself have scored a YSL cream blush and Volupte lipstick for drugstore prices J These aren’t quite as common as CCO’s (#5) so I’ve included a link with locations: https://www.premiumoutlets.com/brands/brands_3rd_level.asp?id=289

Gift with Purchase: Oh department stores! The counters at department stores frequently have pretty amazing gift with purchases. Lancome and Estee Lauder are particularly good about this, advertising and offering gifts worth over $100 when you make a purchase around $35. It’s a great way to get full size and sample size products to try from the brand that you may have been curious about.

Build a relationship with department store makeup artists: Believe it or not, you can score some really generous “gifts”, aka free full sized products, through a good relationship with the artists who work at the counter. I’ve found that Dior and Giorgio Armani are particularly good about this and will often provide you with skincare and makeup products or makeup bags that are not advertised to the general public like the traditional “gift with purchase”. You don’t even need to make a giant purchase; a couple of products bought over time with the same artist can lead to some of these surprise gifts.

Don’t be shy about asking for samples: If you purchase a product, you are definitely entitled to getting a sample of something you might be interested in. Sometimes you’ll get offered one at Sephora or a counter, but if not, always make sure to ask about something you have your eye on, or even just ask for a recommendation for a product and see if you can get a sample. This can be a great way to decide whether that expensive product is really going to be worth it for you.

If you don’t love it, return it: I personally try to avoid returning things by sampling them ahead of time, as I think that’s the right thing to do; and I absolutely recommend using this method. But, in some cases you can’t come by a sample, so you just have to buy the product itself. If you aren’t 100% happy with it, you should definitely return it and get your money back.

Brow Battle: Tarte versus Anastasia

Anastasia recently came out with a dipbrow pomade for filling in eyebrows. When I saw the concept and product, it reminded me a lot of Tarte's brow mousse which I already own and enjoy. So, I figured I'd give you a comparison of the two and what I think the pros and cons for each one are.

Tarte Amazonian Waterproof Brow Mousse is available in 3 shades and retails for $28. Each container houses 0.1oz of product. On initial inspection, this may seem like nothing. But, the product is extremely pigmented so you really only need a little every day. I'm not sure I agree that the texture is a mousse. To me, the texture seems like a slightly drier cream product, which I enjoy because it doesn't have too much slip to it which can be good for creating small brush like hairs. I use the color rich brown and find it to be a great match and all the colors in the range lean on the cool side. You can also use this to define the bottom or top of your brows, but I find that to be a little more difficult since it isn't quite as smooth and creamy like a liner or pencil might be. The formula sets and lasts all day long.

The Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade comes in 5 colors, though I believe three more will be released soon and retails for $18 for 0.14 oz. Cost wise and amount wise, this is a better deal than the Tarte. I had to do a bit of searching to find a good color match because a lot of the existing 5 shades lean really warm. I ended up going with Dark Brown, which is the cooler of the darker shades. This stuff is super smooth, creamy and very pigmented. Again, a little goes a long way. This is ideal for people who really want to define the bottom and top of their brow, since the slip in this product allows for a seamless line. It is extremely easy to go overboard with this product so I wouldn't recommend this for beginners. The formula sets and stays in place quite well, but I would recommend getting a very small brush if you are interested in creating hair like strokes. The creamy-ness tends to make the typical angle brush stroke a bit heavy.

Depending on your hair color and what your preference may be for your brows (filling in hair like strokes versus defining the top or bottom of your brows) one may be more suitable for you than the other. I am personally enjoying using both, and actually like using them together. The Anastasia for defining the base of my eyebrow, and the Tarte for creating extra "hairs". They do have different consistencies, so if one doesn't work for you the other may still be worth investigating.

Neutral Brown Eyes using Drugstore Shadows

Lid: Wet n Wild Nutty
Crease: Wet n Wild Naked Truth "Crease"
Outer V/Lower lash line: Wet n Wild Naked Truth "Definer"
Browbone: Wet n Wild Naked Truth "Base"
Inner Corner: Wet n Wild Naked Truth "Browbone"
Waterline: Loreal Silkissime Highlighter 230
Liner: Eveline Cosmetics liquid liner
Mascara: Tarte Lights Camera Lashes

Empties: February 2014

It's time for another round of empties! I've got a mix of different makeup products that I have managed to use up and have well-formed opinions on to share :)

Let's start with the face products:

• Revlon Photoready Color Correcting Primer: This is a lotion style primer, and I really did enjoy it. I think it's the best drugstore primer I have tried thus far (though I have my eye on the Rimmel Matte primer) and I love that it came in a glass bottle with a pump. Not sure it really color corrects, but it definitely helps your makeup last.
• Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer (Caramel): I have a love hate relationship with this. It's a fantastic match for my skin and wears really well in the winter time, and in humid weather. But, if it's hot, it will not last. Even with a good primer I can't make it work. For now I'm going to hold off on re-purchasing this and try out other tinted moisturizer formulas.

Next, to my lonely lip product:

• Buxom Full On Lip Polish in Sugar (sample size): Oh man, this is my absolute FAVORITE formula of lip gloss. They come in tons of colors, are really glossy with only a slight tacky feeling, and they have this wonderful minty plumping sensation. I will always always repurchase this product. PS: My friends who I've told about this say their boyfriends request it for makeout sessions ;)

And lastly, what I go through the most, eye products:

• Diorshow Maximizer Lash Primer: Hot damn, this stuff is really good. Honestly, I was kind of hoodwinked into purchasing it but it really makes a difference. Since using it, my lashes are softer and fall out way less. The lashes on the very inner corners of my eyes have also grown significantly while using this, and they were non existent before. I'll repurchase when I can get 20% off.
• Eyeko Skinny Liner: Basic felt tip liquid liner. The tip isn't very flexible so it's not amazing for winged liner, but its solid for any basic liner you would wear regularly. I won't repurchase since I have a $3 Jordana liner that I love more than this.
• Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara: Really nice and volumizing formula to this mascara. It doesn't give much length, but it's good at not being clumpy. I have purchased a full size.
• Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara: The brush on this thing is GIGANTIC. Because of that, it took me a while to figure out how to use it. It gives good separation, but not enough volume for my liking. I won't be repurchasing.
• Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara: LOVED this mascara. It's quite a wet formula and gives you both volume and length. The only issue is that since it's wet it can get a bit clumpy, but this is easily sorted out using a lash comb. I have another two sample tubes of this and can't wait to use them!

All righty, that's it for now. Hopefully in the upcoming months I'll be able to have some interesting products like blush or eyeshadow since I'm shopping my own collection.

EOTD

EOTD: Felt like doing something colorful for a change. The lid color is a blue-green-gold duo chrome but really requires some building up since it’s not super pigmented.

Lid: Starlooks Enter Eden

Crease: Tarte Mattenificent View From the Taupe

Outer V: Tarte Mattenificent Two Plums Up

Browbone: Tarte Mattenificent Sand Out From the Crowd

Inner Corner: Lorac Unzipped Unreal

Liner: Tarte Mattenificent Don’t Sand Black

Mascara: Tarte Lights Camera Lashes